With the Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion Concept - the purely electrically powered version of the most successful European car ever built - Volkswagen is forging new ties to the era of electric mobility. More noticeably than on today's modern petrol or diesel engines, the maximum range of an electric car is severely reduced when its maximum power is demanded frequently. The concept car's 30 battery modules - consisting of 180 lithium-ion cells (energy capacity: 26.5 kWh) - were installed in spaces adapted to the vehicle architecture. They can be found in the floor of the bootspace (fully usable cargo capacity: 275 litres), under the rear bench seat and in the centre tunnel of the underbody (between the front seats). A separate air cooling system ensures a constant thermal environment in the battery compartment. The battery modules weigh a total of 315 kilograms. The driver can see how much energy is being demanded by the "electric pedal" at any given moment on the kW gauge (replaces the classic tachometer); drivers strive to keep the kW reading as low as possible practically intuitively.
A range indicator is also integrated in this round instrument. The speedometer, located on the right side as usual, integrates another small gauge that provides information on the battery charge state. A new feature is the display of regeneration intensity in the multifunction display between the kW instrument and the speedometer. In battery regeneration, the driver has the option of pre-setting the braking energy recovery strategy over four stages (D to D3) via the automatic gearshift lever or gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. In addition, an active driving profile can be set; this lets the driver select priorities in advance: between maximum range, maximum comfort and maximum dynamics. The selected profile then pre-configures the power of the electric motor, air conditioning control, maximum speed and battery regeneration strategy. 85 kW of power is available; in this mode the Golf blue-e-motion can attain the specified top speed of 135 km/h.
When the driver activates the "Normal" mode, power is reduced to 65 kW and top speed is lowered to 115 km/h. 50 kW; in this case, the car can reach a maximum speed of 105 km/h. At the same time, the air conditioning system is completely deactivated. The selected profile is shown in the multifunction display. The Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion is charged via a plug connector behind the folding VW logo on the radiator grille. A pictogram of a plug connector in the multifunction display indicates that the charging cable is correctly inserted and locked. During active charging an LED also flashes in the charge state indicator, and the charge level shown in the indicator is continually updated. All key primary and secondary drive components were integrated in the front engine compartment. In arriving at this design, developers applied experience they had gained in numerous design studies. As in the Up! Volkswagen Golf blue-e-motion. Core components of the integral drive are the lightweight 80 kg electric motor together with a transmission and differential. Energy management is handled by a high-voltage pulse-controlled inverter that is integrated in the compact integral drive - along with the 12 Volt electrical system's DC/DC converter and charging module.
Volkswagen’s e-Golf is the first full electric vehicle the German automaker will introduce to the United States. Patterned off of the same platform as the 2015 Golf GTI, the e-Golf doesn’t look the part of an EV judging from the exterior or interior. With the exception of badging, C-shaped LED lights and a couple of other tech adjustments, it falls right in line with the rest of the Golf lineup, which is just what VW had in mind when creating it. Those who prefer unique-looking EVs may be disappointed in e-Golf’s uniformity, but they won’t be disappointed in its performance. The 323 V Lithium-ion battery, 264 cell battery pushes out 115 horses and 199 lb-ft of torque. With each mode the mileage range increases while horsepower and torque capabilities are limited. 4 to 6 miles from our experience. In addition to driving modes, the e-Golf allows users to choose the level of battery regenerative braking that makes the most sense for the driving situation.
D1, D2 and D3/B braking determine how much energy is recuperated. Under normal drive mode there is no recuperation. By using shifting to the left, D1 is activated and a small amount of power is recuperated. The amount of power regenerated increases in D2 and D3/B modes progressively. This mode saves energy but also slows the car down. Running out of power or “range anxiety” is a fear of most EV drivers. Volkswagen has put in a few processes to prevent that as much as possible. It has partnered with All State to provide roadside assistance to e-Golf drivers. VW has also equipped each e-Golf with a ChargePoint card, which gives drivers access to over 18,000 EV charging stations nationwide. Many of these stations have the DC fast charging capability that can charge the e-Golf battery up to 80% in about 30 minutes. The standard 7.2 kW onboard Combined Charging System also allows drivers to use the 240-volt wall box that charges a battery in less than four hours. Volkswagen has a deal for e-Golf customers with new partner Bosch Automotive Service Solutions.
