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Consider that the e-Golf is propelled by a 12,000-rpm, synchronous permanent-magnet alternating current (AC) motor (code-named EEM-85). The motor produces 115 hp (85 kW) and 199 lb-ft of torque (270 Nm) in standard drive mode. The motor is mated to a single-speed EQ270 transmission that powers the front wheels. (The motor and transmission were both developed by VW and are produced at its components manu- facturing plant in Kassel, Germany.) POWER & SPACE. The e-Golf is powered by a 323-volt, 24.2-kWh lithium-ion battery that consists of 264 individual prismatic cells packaged into 27 modules. (The battery was co-developed with Panasonic.) The modules are designed so that no active cooling is required. The battery weighs 701 lb. It is produced at VW's Braunschweig plant. There is the battery management con- troller (BMC) in front of the battery pack, which has a variety of functions, including regulating temperatures in the battery junction controller, which is the interface to the motor's energy supply. The power electronics module controls the high-voltage energy—the battery runs between 250 and 430 volts—converts the battery's DC energy into AC. There is a 7.2-kW onboard charger. It allows charging with 110/120-V (it requires approximately 20 hours for a full charge); a 240-V wall box (Bosch [bosch.com] is the supplier), which allows charging in less than four hours; and as there is a Combined Charging System that meets the SAE DC fast- charging requirements, it can reach an 80% state of charge in approximately 30 minutes (VW is working with ChargePoint (chargepoint.com) for its network of public charging stations). While battery packs in existing cars often take up existing cargo or interior space, thanks to the MQB, there is no difference between the interior volume (93.5-ft 3 ) of the e-Golf or any other 2015 Golf variants. There is the same 22.8-ft 3 behind the rear seats and the same 52.7-ft 3 with the rear seats folded. THE RANGE. The e-Golf range is predicated on a number of factors, ranging from the ambient temperature to the state of charge to driving style. The vehicle features two driver-select- able settings that can help improve range. One is the ability to drive in "Normal," "Eco" or "Eco+" mode. Normal provides the full horsepower and torque of the motor and will allow the car to get up to an electrically limited top speed of 87 mph. Eco reduces the available power from 115 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque to 94 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. In addition to which, the air conditioning system performance is reduced, as is the throttle response. The top speed in Eco mode is 72 mph. Then there's Eco+ mode, which brings the output to 74 hp and 129 lb-ft of torque. The throttle response curve is flattened and the air conditioning is flat-lined (i.e., switched off). The top speed here is 56 mph. The second driver-selectable setting is for the regenerative braking system, which uses the kinetic energy from braking to drive the generator to recharge the battery. D1 is the first level of regenerative braking; this is accessed by lifting from the accelerator or by tapping the shift lever to the left. This results in a small amount of energy being recouped. Then there are p The e-Golf like the other seventh-generation Golfs, is based on the VW MQB platform. One consequence of this is that there is no discernable evidence of a battery pack in the e-Golf, unlike the case of other vehicles that are initially engineered to be internal combustion-powered and are then fitted with electrification, such as a hybrid system. In those cases, the cargo area is generally truncated. In the case of the e-Golf, which is a full electric vehicle, not simply electrified, the cargo area behind the rear seat is 22.8-ft 3 , the same as that for the gasoline- and diesel- powered versions of the car. AD&P; > November 2014 > FEATURE > Volkswagen's e-Golf: Adding Electric Power to the Golf Lineup > Gary S. Vasilash > gsv@autofieldguide.com 46