Despite not being sold on local shores, there have been a few eGolf models driving around South Africa as part of a pilot project. How long will the battery pack on this model last, though?
There are two considerations when answering the question of how long the battery on an electric car lasts. The first is how long the battery will last, in terms of kilometres covered per charge, and the second is how long the battery will last in terms of years and kilometres before needing to be replaced. Since there are always a variety of factors related to driving style, charging habits and climate, the answers provided here are an estimate based on our own testing and information supplied by Frank Blome, the head of Volkswagen’s Centre of Excellence for Battery Cells.
How far can you drive on a single charge?
Since the distance that an electric vehicle can cover on a single charge depends a lot on the driving style of the user, it is difficult to give a definitive figure, however, AutoTrader spent a month with the vehicle and we feel at though we have a good idea of how many kilometres the battery will last on a single charge as outlined in the excerpt below:
“A 35.8 kWh Li-ion battery system powers a 100 kW and 290 Nm electric motor to provide a range of between 170 km and 230 km on a single charge. Charge times can take anywhere from 12 hrs when using a 3 kW charge source to as little as 40 minutes (0-80%) with a high-output 50 kW fast-charging solution.”- Chad Lückhoff, AutoTrader
How long with the eGolf’s battery last?
An electric car’s battery life is influenced by the climate in which the car is operated and the charging habits of the user, and as such, the following extract from an interview with Frank Blomecould be considered a conservative estimation, but is entirely understandable considering that the figures quoted form part of the battery’s warranty.
“Our aim is always for our batteries to last as long as the cars. We guarantee a minimum capacity of 70 percent for eight years or 160 000 kilometers. But drivers can also influence the length of a battery’s service life. Normal charging is better for the batteries than rapid charging, and charging the batteries up to just 80 instead of 100 percent also increases their service life.”-Frank Blome, Head of Volkswagen’s Center of Excellence for Battery Cells.
Sean NurseWith a lifelong passion for cars, bikes, and motorsport, Sean knew that attaining a degree in journalism would allow him to pursue his passion, which was to be a motoring journalist. After graduating in 2012, Sean was awarded a bursary from the SAGMJ which allowed him to work for a variety of motoring publications. This was a dream come true for Sean, and after a year of gaining vital industry experience, he was hired as a motoring journalist at a local newspaper and worked his way up to editor. In 2020, Sean joined the AutoTrader team and counts himself lucky to wake up and genuinely love what he does for a living.View News & Reviews
Keyword: How long does the battery in a Volkswagen eGolf last?