Volkswagen e-Golf or PHEV GTE EV charging
The ever popular Golf as an urban electric runaround
The hugely popular and award winning Golf is coming to NZ in all its electric glory with an optional GTE performance plug-in hybrid model. The Golf has been a go to vehicle for many due to its small size, practical design and high quality German construction.
With fast charge capability, is well equipped as a daily run about while also being capable of short to medium road trips.
Range
Battery Capacity
Plug Type
50 km
300 km
8.8 kWh
55 kWh
Type 2
Solar Charge
Yes
Charging
AC & DC
The BEV and PHEV models of the Golf are both great electric cars, offering a range of capabilities to suit your commuting requirements.
The e-Golf, with its 220 km range and fast charge capability, is well equipped as a daily run about while also being capable of short to medium road trips.
The Golf GTE has 50km of battery electric range which is more than enough for over 95% of normal car use. With the smaller battery you do have to be more dedicated to plugging in, than you would with a longer range EV, if you want to make use of those sweet electric miles.
If you do treat the car like a traditional hybrid it still achieves an impressive 5.7l/100km, but you are likely to see figures much lower if you have access to a charger at home or work.
The Volkswagen Golf is traditionally great to drive, and the GTE and e-Golf are a testament that, with a plethora of driver assistance features, such as adaptive cruise control, park assist and lane detection to keep you safer on the road, from city streets to highways.
The e-Golf offers a sprint time of 9.6 seconds to 100kmph. This may be a bit slower than other performance golf models, but the electric drivetrain will allow you to overtake the ICE model when they need a expensive service down the road.
The GTE with its performance badge is significantly faster with a 7.6sec sprint time.
The German styling is complemented with a bunch of techie modern features that make the car a breeze to use as a daily driver such as keyless entry and start, and a 9.2 inch gesture and voice controlled navigation screen with ability to use both apple car play and android auto.
The e-Golf and the Golf GTE are both modern twists on a timeless classic that offer a compelling choice for anyone in the market for a mid range EV.
How to charge your e-Golf or GTE at home and in public
The e-Golf and GTE are equipped with a Type 2 Mennekes connector. The Type 2 Mennekes connector is what’s typically used at home and at destination chargers. The e-Golf has the added perk of an integrated CCS2 plug, allowing it to charge at 50kW
As with many other EVs, our team highly recommends the British-made Myenergi Zappi as the best domestic wall charger on the market, especially if you have PV solar power, a home battery or Tesla Powerwall.
Plug Standard: Type 2 / Mennekes or CCS2 Combo (e-Golf only).
Time to fully recharge at the typical 15 amp plug, which delivers 3.7kW, takes around 12 hours for the e-Golf and 3 for the GTE. At 22kW the time can be reduced to 5 hours. The e-Golf, with its CCS DC charge capabilities, can charge 0-80% in 35 min.
If you have solar panels at home or work, the Myenergi Zappi will ensure you're always using your self-generated renewable power when your Golf is plugged in. This super smart system talks to your solar and makes sure you only charge your car with surplus solar energy.
How to charge your Volkswagen e-Golf or Golf GTE at a public Type 1 J1772 EV charger
A type 1 to type 2 adaptor will charge your e-Golf up to 7.2kw / give you 40 kms per hour of charge but is limited by the onboard charger to 3.7kW for the GTE.
For a long time, J1772 / Type 1 connectors have been the norm for domestic use.
For newer car owners there are many charging stations which use the J1772 standard which cannot be taken advantage of without an adaptor.
A J1772 to type 2 (Mennekes) adapter cable is the most suitable electric charging cable for your e-golf and Golf GTE. This allows you to connect to J1772 charging station; simply insert the J1772 plug to charge at up to 7.6kw or 27km of range per hour.
How to charge your Volkswagen e-Golf or Golf GTE at a public Type 2 Mennekes charging station
This cable will charge your Golf at up 7.2kw / give you 40 kms per hour of charge but is limited by the onboard charger to 3.7kW for the GTE.
An essential EV charging cable for every Mennekes Type 2 electric vehicle to enable safe and secure charging from public ‘Universal’ charging station. There is a trend for public charge points to be universal; this means the point has no in-built cable.
The result is reduced maintenance and damage, as well as reduced liability for the owner of the station. If there is no permanent cable attached to the charger then there is less risk of it being driven over or generally being abused. Think air hose in a servo. They are otherwise known as BYO cable chargers.
