Details of the Volkswagen e-Golf have been known for some time, and now Volkswagen has confirmed their release plans for the U.S. market. With a 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 115 horsepower electric motor, the automaker says the e-Golf will be “fun to drive, just like a Golf.”
The e-Golf is Volkswagen’s first fully electric vehicle to go on sale in the U.S., and it will debut at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. The electric Golf will go on sale in the US in 4th quarter of 2014 in select states – no word yet on which states those will be. Launch in Europe will be in the Spring of 2014.
Volkswagen has stated that they want to be the world leader in e-mobility among automakers by 2018, and the e-Golf is part of that strategy.
The e-Golf will be available in 5-door format, and possibly 3-door format if demand is there. The electric version of the Golf has unique alloy wheels and LED headlights, as well as a colored strip across the radiator grille (to align the e-Golf with Volkswagen’s Think Blue sustainability campaign).
Volkswagen e-Golf Specs
- 7.2 kW onboard charger
- 70 to 90 miles of range depending on driving style
- Combined Charging System (DC Fast Charging) standard in the US
- 24.2 kWh battery pack
- 114 horsepower
- 199 lb-ft of torque
- 4 levels of regenerative braking
- 3,090 pounds curb weight, 701 pounds of which are the battery