Volkswagen is out to lead the pack when it comes to electric cars, and its new 2015 e-Golf model is a strong first offering, CNET reported.
While it will have to catch up to Nissan's electric Leaf, which debuted in 2010, and Tesla's popular Model S, Volkswagen's e-Golf offers smooth handling and acceleration and puts the company "on the right track," according to the CNET review.
The German automaker's first electric vehicle launched in the fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
"At a steady pace down the road, the ride quality felt good, not much different than the standard Golf," CNET's Wayne Cunningham described. "The weight of the battery was well disguised by the car's dynamics. Even better, when I took the e-Golf around turns, it handled comfortably. There is a little play in the wheel, enough to make the e-Golf an easy-driving cruiser."
According to Volkswagen, the e-Golf has 70 to 90 miles of battery range, increasing to 115 miles in Eco Plus mode. The car comes in three modes, Normal, Eco and Eco Plus, for varying levels of horsepower and battery stamina.
The four-door hatchback has a 24.2 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that weighs around 700 pounds; altogether, the car comes in at a little more than 3,000 pounds. It uses a regenerative braking system to use kinetic energy to recharge the battery pack.
According to Edmunds.com, the all-new e-Golf will likely start around $35,000 before tax and incentives. It will compete in its segment with the Ford Focus Electric, Honda Fit EV and Nissan Leaf.
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