Long-termers
To better gather real-world feedback, Volkswagen SA gave us its electrified Golf for an extended eight-month test. This is what we can report back about the EV ownership experience
Driver: Ryan Bubear Ryan_bubear Nikesh Kooverjee Nikeshkooverjee 8 months
4 775 km
13,1 kwh/100 km
instant access to torque; one-pedal driving; high levels of re nement; affordable to run range plummets on the highway; public charging infrastructure; you can’t actually buy one
Were it not for the word “electric” emblazoned along its anks, I suspect our E-golf – one of just six examples buzzing around the country as part of Volkswagen SA’S electric vehicle pilot project – would have gone by largely unnoticed by other motorists. That’s not what happened, though. Not by a long shot. At rst glance, it looks pretty much like a standard version of Wolfsburg’s popular seventh-generation, ve-door hatchback. But pay close attention and you’ll be able to pick out clues to the fully electric powertrain lurking silently beneath that familiar skin. Up front, for instance, there’s a blue line extending from the (blanked off) grille into the headlamps, plus model-speci c daytime running lights. In pro le, you’ll notice the aero-optimised 16-inch alloy wheels, while the derrière does without a tailpipe.
The E-golf doesn’t only share styling with its siblings with more conventional engines. As in virtually any Golf, the electric variant strikes a pleasing balance between ride comfort and dynamic stability, boasts enviable build quality (plus whisper-quiet re nement) and offers generous interior space. Only the luggage compartment is compromised compared with that of a mainstream Golf, due to the 35,8 kwh battery squeezed in beneath the oor and the charging paraphernalia we had to lug around wherever we went.
How far can it go on a single charge? Well, VW claims a practical range of up to 230 km although, with my hypermiling hat on and the Eco+ driving mode steadfastly engaged, I found it possible to travel some 275 km before having to plug in. Result! Although not without a tinge of range anxiety, plus borderline-obsessive monitoring of the indicated range.
It’s far better to simply plug in every time you’re parked, if such facilities are available, that is.
While certainly improving, public charging options in South Africa are by no means widespread, though I was able to locate a couple of fast-charging points (one free!) within 10 km of my home.
Before the country went into lockdown, I made a habit of plugging the E-golf into a domestic socket in the CAR garage every weekday morning, keeping the lithium-ion pack smartly topped up. Progress is slow, however, with an empty-to-full charge taking up to 16 hours. With a wallbox installed at home, this would have been less of a problem, thanks to more rapid charging times.
What is it like to drive? Downright lovely. With 100 kw on tap and immediate access to 290 N.m of torque, the E-golf is punchy; it feels quicker than the claimed 0-100 km/h sprint time of 9,6 seconds might suggest. Thanks to the driver-selectable regenerative braking mode, one-pedal driving – an intuitive method that largely nixes the need for a brake pedal – is entirely possible.
I sometimes found myself enjoying stints in traf c. The stop-start travel enabled energy to be ploughed back into the battery with every lift off the throttle storing what would have otherwise been wasted power. By the time I had completed my traf c-heavy 23 km trip from the of ce, I’d often have scrubbed just six or seven kilometres from the indicated range. Hit a free- owing highway, however, and things aren’t nearly as pleasant. You see, at the national limit, the E-golf drains its battery at an alarming rate; it really is best as an inner-city car. It’s a similar case when heading up a mountain pass, although here you at least have the chance to claw back some energy coasting down the other side. In short, trips that involve freeways or substantial hills require careful planning.
For now, though, this matters little since you can’t buy an E-golf in South Africa. While the ID.3 won’t be offered for sale locally, we understand the new ID.4 – with a claimed range of up to 520 km – has been pencilled in for local introduction in 2022.
Still, the E-golf has done its job, affording us a taste of long-term electric motoring and stoking public interest in battery-powered vehicles in general. Though the brand is transitioning globally to a dedicated EV range (rather than continuing to electrify existing
nameplates), it was a shrewd move from VW SA to use this particular model to create customer awareness around electric vehicles. South Africa loves a Golf, after all, as borne out by the tremendous interest in this car. – Ryan Bubear
Having driven various electric cars over the years, I’ve come to believe that EVS are a better alternative to internal-combustion-engine (ICE) cars; however, some kinks do still need to be ironed out. During the time we spent with our previous-generation Nissan Leaf and pre-facelift BMW i3 REX long-termers, we noted the main issue with EVS is the charging infrastructure. An issue that’s being resolved at a slow pace in SA as a result of the supply-and-demand chain.
When you consider EVS don’t contribute to the funding of road infrastructure via fuel taxation – and placing a tax on electricity consumption is impractical – the only way government can get its pound of flesh from EV owners is through a large upfront fee: a 42% import tax on EVS and hybrids. Because of this, the purchase price of such vehicles is inflated, resulting in low demand, which in turn demotivates manufacturers to invest in charging infrastructure that will rarely be in use. Do you see what we mean about the supply-anddemand dilemma?
There’s no denying that South Africa would be better off with EVS as they are more cost-effective in the long run. The cost of charging a car with electricity is significantly less than filling up with fuel. Based on the current cost of electricity per kwh in SA, a full charge for the E-golf should set you back no more than R75. They’re also cheaper to maintain as there are fewer parts that need to be serviced. The other thorny conundrum is whether our local energy supplier can maintain consistent supply if and when EVS become the norm on our roads. Significant investment in
our infrastructure is required.
The road to electri cation in South Africa is long and complicated but I believe it is the right one to follow. I had this notion long before getting behind the wheel of the E-golf but now that I’ve experienced Wolfsburg’s electri ed hatch
rst-hand, I truly am sold. It is a perfect mixture of performance, comfort, practicality and style; all the makings of a great daily driver.
The 0-100 km/h time as mentioned by Ryan may not sound exciting. One reason for this seemingly underwhelming gure is the EV’S weight (1 615 kg). Despite this, it feels incredibly responsive at any speed. That’s because its 290 N.m of torque is available the instant you nudge the throttle and the single-ratio transmission delivers shove seamlessly to the front wheels with zero interruptions. There’s no time wasted converting gasoline into energy or worrying about anything as trivial as having to shift gear.
While this makes for a thrilling drive, it’s also one that’s joyfully relaxing, seamless and carefree. Comfort is further aided by thick-pro le Bridgestone Turanza T001 tyres mated to a set of aerodynamic 16-inch alloy wheels. Interestingly, the tyre choice favours comfort and low NVH levels more than economy. It’s worth noting that while these tyres offer decent comfort, they do struggle on occasion to put power to the tarmac without the traction control intervening.
The great thing about the E-golf as a daily driver is how well it blends futuristic technology with modern design. When you’re seated behind the wheel, it feels like a run-of-the-mill 1,0-litre TSI Comfortline thanks to the leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, comprehensive touchscreen infotainment system and cushy cloth-upholstered seats.
Further enhancing the cabin is the digital dash which allows you to easily monitor your consumption
through various readings. However, the E-golf is incapable of indicating how many kwh remains in the battery which hindered our ability to calculate energy usage. Instead, we had to put our trust in the average consumption reader which consistently displayed a gure of 13,1 kwh/100 km.
Using the E-golf for an extended period of time has only af rmed my opinion that EVS will become the future of motoring. It’s the right step forward despite it being something I would have been wholeheartedly against just a few years ago.