2019 Volkswagen E-Golf

After investing heavily and spending colossal sums on Diesel technology, Volkswagen, which got caught cheating, decided to change its approach and become a good citizen after paying more than 21 billion dollars in fines to the US government alone. Volkswagen paid dearly for this lesson in humility and is starting to offer truly clean cars. The first on the list, difficult to find because they are so rare, is the e-Golf.

This electric version of the popular Golf replaces the turbocharged gasoline engines with an electric motor and a large battery that promises 200 km of range. For 2019, the e-Golf is unchanged, except for a slightly redesigned front bumper and an extended exterior paint palette now comprising 40 colours (!).

The e-Golf's powertrain delivers 136 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque. It's not the most powerful in the family, but rest assured that you're not polluting and the consumption is even better than a diesel engine.

Where Hyundai and Chevrolet (among others) have launched dedicated EV models (Ioniq and Bolt respectively), VW has chosen to rely on the Golf's already strong reputation to help bolster its electric aspirations. However, Volks is preparing to bring its I.D division to market, which will feature a series of vehicles designed specifically as electric vehicles.

The e-Golf is offered only as a five-door model. It comes standard with an eight-inch multimedia touchscreen, passive keyless entry, auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control, heated cloth seats, heated windshield, LED headlights and taillights, backup camera and rain-sensing wipers.

VW will give you the option of an e-Golf with leather seats; a technology package includes a larger touchscreen with gesture control and wireless smartphone/tablet integration. A driver assistance package brings active safety features such as blind spot warning, cruise control, collision prevention with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, parking assist and a fully digital configurable gauge cluster that looks very much like Audi's virtual cockpit.

As we mentioned above, Volkswagen faces significant competition for the e-Golf. The most significant is the Chevrolet Bolt with its 383 km range and the new Kona Electric which announces 415 km that will soon be followed by the Niro with the same range.