2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue E-motion

2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue E-motion Car Review

Volkswagen is now offering exclusive test drives of their plug-in, pure electric car in Wolfsburg, Germany, the place known as “car city”.  This month I was able to travel to take one for a test drive. As in many electric cars, the 2014 Golf Blue E-motion appears the same as its non-electric counterparts until you put the key in the ignition. Then the battery is ready to go and there is a very striking silence.

With an estimated range of 150 kilometers (about 60-75 miles) the new 2014 Volkswagen Golf Blue E-motion could really set the pace when it is expected to be available in 2014.  One unique feature is that there is one adjustable gear and impressive pickup and torque. It has 85kw of power and 115 horsepower.  

There are 4 regenerative braking modes; one in “B” which makes the brakes and gas pedal more sensitive but recoils energy the best at low speeds. The other 3 regenerative braking modes in drive are manually adjustable. The battery is lithium-ion that was developed in CA.

The Golf E-motion is currently being fleet tested until end of 2011, in Berlin, (35 cars), Hanover (17 cars) and Wolfsburg (23 cars) with private customers and government fleets. In 2012 there are plans for international fleets in China and the USA to measure results prior to production release. 

I drove through the streets of Wolfsburg to get a feel of the E-Motion. In busy traffic there was little difference in drive mode. 

The steering wheel paddles that are usually used for shifting are used for a three-setting brake energy regeneration system. Then, for more battery recovery, the console shift lever in “B” takes you straight to the highest level of brake energy regeneration. This extra setting is useful if you find yourselves on a steep downhill or stop and go rush hour traffic.

The car was very user friendly. It would be difficult to tell the difference between the new E-Motion and its non-electric counterpart during daily driving unless range or power supply became an issue.

Once VW announces more information and pricing, I’ll publish the full costs and statistics. In the meantime, enjoy this sneak peek at future of electric cars.