Long-termers

Welcome to Experiment E-golf. For six months, the CAR team will experience VW’S electric midsize hatchback in a variety of conditions, ranging from commuting to weekend trips (we’ll make sure to closely study relevant charging networks). As the E-golf will never be offered for sale in South Africa, you may fairly wonder what exactly the point of this test is.

Well, Volkswagen South Africa’s readying its local dealership network and relevant staff at its varimore

ous of ces for the launch of an ID model early in 2022. It won’t be the ID.3, as we’d reported in an earlier issue, but in fact its ID.4 crossover. Test mules of the Three will, however, make local landfall next year during phase two of VWSA’S ramp-up to electri cation.

In the meantime, six E-golfs are whizzing across South Africa introducing people to electric motoring Vw-style and CAR’S been chosen as one of two media outlets to test the vehicle and report honestly on

EV ownership (well, as candidly as we’re able to considering none of us actually handed over a cheque). Regular readers would recall we’ve had two EV long-termers before – a Nissan Leaf followed by a BMW i3 REX – so we’re fully charged (ouch) to provide you with feedback on the (near-)future of motoring.

I’ve spent the rst few weeks with the E-golf before CAR’S web editor, Ryan Bubear, will take over duties for the remainder of its term. First impressions have been overwhelmingly positive. During a recent facelift, the battery’s capacity was increased from 24,2 kwh to 35,8 kwh. Considering we’ve been posting an average consumption of 12,89 kwh/100 km, that translates to a range estimate of 275 km. Plan to drive no more than 200 km and you’ll always have a decent state of charge left in the batteries.

impressive, however, is how much more ef cient the E-golf is than our i3 eet car. Admittedly a range-extender model with a heavy scooter engine beneath its boot oor, the REX used an average of 16,32 kwh/100 km.

The biggest compliment I can pay the E-golf is that, well, it feels like a Golf. Aside from the lack of combustion noise – this is one of the most hushed non-premium vehicles I’ve driven – it rides, handles, steers and brakes like you’d expect. Even the cockpit looks identical except for tweaked instrumentation and VW’S E-manager control centre in the infotainment system.

It’s addictive indulging in the E-golf’s instant hit of torque at every opportunity. Perhaps Ryan can exercise more control and get that range to nudge 300 km...