VW unveils Golf eHybrid PHEV 30 | 04 | 2021
THIS IS VOLKSWAGEN’S new Golf eHybrid. Priced from £32,995 and offering CO2 emissions of 21 g/km, in addition to a fuel economy of up to 235 mpg (both WLTP figures), the eHybrid can also cover 44 miles on pure-electric on a full charge. Order books are open now. (Related: VW gives its 2021 Polo a facelift)
Sitting alongside the Golf GTE, the eHybrid is a cheaper plug-in hybrid version of the family hatchback. Power comes from a detuned version of the GTE’s powertrain, a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor. The latter is ed by a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the rear seats.
Developing a combined 201bhp, power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox. VW says it’ll cover 0-62mph in 7.4secs, and carry on to a top speed of 137mph. (Related: Hot VW ID.4 gets GTX badging)
But the BIG attraction — specially to fleet owners — is the claim that it will return up to 235mpg and emit just 21g/km. The two figures place the eHybrid in the lowest road tax bracket. Of course, it’s hugely unlikely that in ‘real world’ driving 235mpg will be ever reached, but suffice to say the car is extremely frugal.
Charging the 13kWh battery pack will take around five hours through domestic three-pin plug. However, if you have a 3.6kW wallbox, this time drops to just 40-minutes. Also worth highlighting the eHybrid has a mode that can use its petrol engine to charge the battery pack. (Related: VW T-Cross Black Edition)
The hybrids also comes with two driving modes. E-Mode forces the car to drive on electric power alone, while Hybrid mode automatically manages the amount of electrical assistance. Also worth mentioning, the GTE has five driving modes, including a Sport mode.
From standstill, the Golf eHybrid will always set off in E-Mode, as long as there’s enough power in the battery pack. And if the driver knows they’ll be entering an emissions controlled zone, the system can be configured to save a set percentage of charge for later in the journey. (Related: 2021 VW Golf R unveiled)
Available only in VW’s comfort-focussed Style specification, the eHybrid comes with LED headlights, LED tail-lights, heat insulating glass, an illuminated radiator grille and 16in alloys all as standard.
Inside the cabin there’s a customisable 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an eight-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus three-zone climate control, a 30-colour ambient lighting system, a wireless smartphone charging pad, a leather multifunction steering wheel, “Art Velours” seat upholstery.
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Jim McGill