Volkswagen e-Golf stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Volkswagen is joining the revolution here at Frankfurt 2013 with its new all-electric e-Golf. And far from being an impractical method of transport to appease eco hippies and excite forward-thinking car geeks, it’s actually perfectly practical.

Electric cars are rapidly becoming an unstoppable silent force, so it’s time to embrace them. And if they’re all as promising as the VW e-Golf looks on paper, we’ll be quite happy.

Given how good the mk7 Volkswagen Golf is – it’s the current World Car of the Year, don’t forget – integrating a fully electric, zero emissions powertrain into this practical family hatchback makes perfect sense. With a range of 118 miles on a full charge, there shouldn’t be too many drawbacks day-to-day, either.

However, the great thing about the combustion engine is its versatility. The VW Golf Bluemotion can cover a theoretical 970 miles between fill-ups, returning a claimed 88.3mpg combined in the process. Meaning you can putter back and to the shops all week, but travel the length of the country at the weekend, should you wish. Still, if you’re looking to do that, maybe the e-Golf isn’t for you.

By Sean Carson