Review

Addressing the LowCVP annual conference earlier this year, AA president Edmund King said that “ultimately, outstanding, affordable, stylish EVs with a decent range will sell themselves”.

For now, though, anxieties about range persist and most customers will only consider an EV as half of a two-car household. AM’s temporary ‘ownership’ of the e-Golf has suggested that this is unlikely to be a ‘second’ car though, as it becomes the default way to travel.

The e-Golf delivers a low-cost real-world range of about 135 miles, more than most need Monday to Friday. Home charging – in my case with a Chargemaster wall unit (although Volkswagen’s approved provider is Pod Point) – is habit-forming and effortless.

However, business trips and family days out will expose owners to the quirks and complexities of the UK’s charging networks, which demand a variety of smartphone apps and a preparedness to deal with faults, queues and the time spent charging itself.

During its time with AM, the e-Golf provided quiet and comfortable driving and its servicing requirements – inspection after two years/20,000 miles and then annually – will delight potential customers and confound retailers.

Volkswagen’s current flagship EV is not a car for everyman, but the group’s plan to launch more than 80 new electrified models by 2025, including 50 EVs, suggests the car that is may not be far away.
 

Factsheet

Price: £37,040 (excl. £4,500 grant)

Power: 100kW/136PS

Performance: 0-62mpH 9.6 secs, top speed 93mph

Range: 124 miles (186 miles NEDC test)