It’s no secret that Volkswagen is developing an all-electric version of the Golf as the automaker itself has confirmed that a production model based on the soon-to-be revealed Golf Mk7 is scheduled for an introduction sometime next year.
In the meantime, the German brand continues to evaluate the car’s electric drivetrain on a fleet of prototypes based on the five-door version of the current Golf.
Today, Volkswagen announced that it will begin a pilot scheme to assess 20 prototype E-Golf Battery Electric Vehicles over a nine-month period in the States. The company said that twelve of these vehicles will be given for evaluation purposes to select Volkswagen employees.
“This E-Golf test fleet will provide critical feedback on these vehicles that will prove essential in our sustainability efforts and in the drive towards electric mobility,” commented Jonathan Browning, CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America.
The pilot program will take place in the Detroit Metro, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. markets, starting from April.
Aside from studying the vehicle itself, users will also try out certain services designed for the E-Golf such as the 220-volt charging stations that will be installed at the employees’ houses and iPhone apps that allow the driver to check the battery’s charging status or regulate the car’s internal temperature.
“For a successful market launch of electric vehicles, the way that home chargers are handled is very important, along with easy access to public charging infrastructure,” said Rudolf Krebs, Executive Vice president and Head of Volkswagen Group E-Traction.
“For the U.S., we also have to recognize the specific legal regulations as well as the different characteristics of the electricity supply: both the reduced 110-volt mains supply and the type of charging plugs,” he added.
The E-Golf is motivated by a single electric motor delivering 199 lb-ft of constant torque, and which is fed by 26kW lithium-ion battery that offers an estimated driving range of 93 miles (about 150 kilometers).
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