Volkswagen eGolf charges to market for 2015

For 2015, Volkswagen will offer an electric version of its coming redesigned Golf, propelled by a 115-hp electric motor and a 24.2-kWh battery pack. That will give the eGolf a range of 118 miles before it needs a recharge, Volkswagen says. Charging on a standard 240-volt electric-car charger should take about four hours. The eGolf also offers DC "fast" charge capability, which will power the car fully in under two hours, or to just over 90 miles in a half hour.

Volkswagen claims 0-60 mph acceleration in about 10.4 seconds and says top speed is limited to 94 mph. The eGolf will have two driving modes (Eco and Eco+) and four regenerative braking modes. It will also have a “parking heater” that will keep the car warm when parked.

The company needs a zero-emissions electric car to meet 2014 California clean-air requirements in the Golden State and other municipalities that follow California emissions regulations. Along with the eGolf, the automaker showed the much smaller electric eUp at the Frankfurt Motor Show this week, but its plug-in focus for the United States remains an expansion of its Golf line.

The eGolf will be offered alongside a base 170-hp Golf, 200-hp Golf GTI, and 150-hp diesel Golf TDI. The redesigned Golf arrives in spring 2014, with the eGolf following about a year later. No word on pricing yet, but it’s highly likely that the eGolf will be priced similarly to the Ford Focus EV in the mid-$30s.

—Eric Evarts