After we saw the revised 2017 Volkswagen Golf, the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer used this year Los Angeles Motor Show to introduce a new member of the family, also affected by the facelift.
It is the new 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf, an updated version that offers an improved range, more power and new features.
For 2017, Volkswagen is using a new lithium-ion battery whose energy capacity has been increased from 24.2 kWh to 35.8 kWh. The new battery increases the range by about 50 percent, with the aim of a driving range of up to 124 miles on a single charge.
The 7.2 kW on-board charger is now standard on both SE and SEL Premium trims, which enables the battery to be fully charged in less than six hours at a traditional charging station. When equipped with DC Fast Charging (optional on SE, standard on SEL Premium), the battery can be charged to 80 percent within an hour at a DC fast charging station.
The electric motor has been upgraded as well. It now develops 134 horsepower, which is 19 hp more than the first version of the e-Golf. At the same time, the maximum torque of the electric motor has been boosted from 199 pound-feet to 214 lb-ft.
The 2017 e-Golf runs zero to 60 mph more than a second faster than its predecessor—now in just 9.6 seconds, and its top speed increases to 93 mph.
The 2017 e-Golf offers fully digital and interactive Volkswagen Digital Cockpit. With this optional system, all instruments—including specific e-Golf instruments such as the power meter—are virtually implemented on the 12.3-inch color screen. There are different information profiles which change the type of information displayed and the graphics in certain areas.
The available Discover Pro infotainment system trim has a large 9.2-inch glass display with a completely new design. For the first time in a Golf, it is possible to individually configure the home screen.
In addition, the innovative gesture control system, first debuted at CES 2015, is planned to become reality in the next two years for the U.S. market. Gesture control works in a wide variety of menus. All it takes is a hand swipe gesture to move the horizontally arranged menu items to the left or right, allowing the user to navigate through the main menu, change radio stations, or skip to the next song.
The e-Golf continues to offer remote access via the Volkswagen Car-Net app (including battery charging and auxiliary air conditioning), as well as Car-Net App-Connect for compatible smartphones that offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink integration and Guide & Inform services.
