Photo: Kreisel Electric
These days, Volkswagen is all about electric cars. Well, at least as far as its mouth is concerned, because until those 30 models promised by 2025 arrive, the German behemoth is still busy making and selling fossil fuel-powered vehicles.
Of course, a transition of this magnitude can't happen overnight, especially not with a company so incomprehensibly big. Still, that same size and the financial power that comes with it makes us have some pretty high expectations from the manufacturer that was briefly the largest in the world.
That, however, proves to be a little too optimistic on our part, as Volkswagen is clearly showing its limitations in the EV field. The second car it launched using battery power - following the e-Up - was the e-Golf, the model famous around the world it owes most of its popularity to. Unfortunately, the battery-powered hatchback was what medics would call a stillborn: the whole project was destined to fail from the start.
That's because the first e-Golf only offered an 83-mile (133 km) maximum range, and that's using the permissive NEDC rating method. While most Europeans' daily commute would not go over the car's capabilities on one charge, it was still laughable compared to what others were already offering.
To make matters worse, only one year later, Volkswagen gifted the e-Golf with a new battery pack. This one has a 35.8 kWh capacity and returns 124 miles or 200 km. That's after Renault had announced the smaller ZOE could go over 200 miles (320 km) on a full charge. If VW wants its electric ambitions to be taken serious, it would be better off simply refraining from making any EVs until it can produce a decent one.
The latest blow comes from a small Austrian company launched by three brothers. Kreisel Electric has specialized in developing high-density battery packs using cells produced by third parties. Their latest project was a Volkswagen e-Golf, and considering what they've achieved, you'd think it's only a matter of time before Volkswagen offers to buy the company.
They took out the standard battery pack in the hatchback and replaced it with their design. The result is a hike to over 200 miles of maximum range (350 km, to be more exact) from a 55.7 kWh pack that's just as large and just as heavy as the Mk. I e-Golf's. What's more, their solution also promises to be ready for quick-charging, allowing rates of up to 150 kW.
Electrek reports that Kreisel Electric is now working on a plant that, when completed, will be able to produce 800 MWh worth of Li-ion battery packs, meaning the company is about to start selling its inventions. The three brothers haven't said anything about prices or availability, though, so there are still questions to be answered. However, Kreisel is now the only reason you should hang on that the e-Golf if you were excited enough to buy one when it came out.
That, however, proves to be a little too optimistic on our part, as Volkswagen is clearly showing its limitations in the EV field. The second car it launched using battery power - following the e-Up - was the e-Golf, the model famous around the world it owes most of its popularity to. Unfortunately, the battery-powered hatchback was what medics would call a stillborn: the whole project was destined to fail from the start.
That's because the first e-Golf only offered an 83-mile (133 km) maximum range, and that's using the permissive NEDC rating method. While most Europeans' daily commute would not go over the car's capabilities on one charge, it was still laughable compared to what others were already offering.
To make matters worse, only one year later, Volkswagen gifted the e-Golf with a new battery pack. This one has a 35.8 kWh capacity and returns 124 miles or 200 km. That's after Renault had announced the smaller ZOE could go over 200 miles (320 km) on a full charge. If VW wants its electric ambitions to be taken serious, it would be better off simply refraining from making any EVs until it can produce a decent one.
The latest blow comes from a small Austrian company launched by three brothers. Kreisel Electric has specialized in developing high-density battery packs using cells produced by third parties. Their latest project was a Volkswagen e-Golf, and considering what they've achieved, you'd think it's only a matter of time before Volkswagen offers to buy the company.
They took out the standard battery pack in the hatchback and replaced it with their design. The result is a hike to over 200 miles of maximum range (350 km, to be more exact) from a 55.7 kWh pack that's just as large and just as heavy as the Mk. I e-Golf's. What's more, their solution also promises to be ready for quick-charging, allowing rates of up to 150 kW.
Electrek reports that Kreisel Electric is now working on a plant that, when completed, will be able to produce 800 MWh worth of Li-ion battery packs, meaning the company is about to start selling its inventions. The three brothers haven't said anything about prices or availability, though, so there are still questions to be answered. However, Kreisel is now the only reason you should hang on that the e-Golf if you were excited enough to buy one when it came out.
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