VW e-Golf & e-Up! electric cars Frankfurt debut

The VW e-Golf & e-Up! electric cars (pictured) will debut at Frankfurt.

Electric cars may be a niche market, but that hasn’t stopped car makers trying to take a piece of whatever action there is, especially as governments around the world are subsidising EVs and and their zero emissions at point of use will help (as long as they sell any) their average CO2 levels. Which explains why VW are pushing ahead with electric versions of the Up! and the Golf, with the e-Golf and e-Up! (yes, we know, it’s aimed at buyers in Lancashire) launching at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.

The e-Golf comes with an electric motor driving the front wheels and delivering 85kW (that’s about 114bhp in real money, enough to get the e-Golf to 62mph in 10.4 seconds with top speed limited to 87mph. It has a range of 87 miles with recharging taking 30 minites for an 80 per cent charge (only at fast charge stations).

The e-Up! (which, if you must have an EV, surely makes more sense than the e-Golf?) comes with a smaller (60kW/82PS) electric motor than the e-Golf which allows it to get to 62mph in 12.4 seconds and on to 81mph.

Both the e-Up! and e-Golf come with two driving modes – Eco and Eco+ – and four regenerative modes – D1, D2, D3 and B – to maximise range, a range VW say is more than 80 per cent of German drivers would ever do in a days driving. And they’re no doubt right.

VW are keen to tell us how cheap the new EVs are (at least until electricity gets taxed like petrol) but they’re not so keen to tell us how much they cost to buy.

Our bet is it will be more of a difference than you’ll ever get back in fuel savings. But if an EV for town driving as a second car is your aim, the VW e-Up! is probably a good bet.

By Cars UK