Electric and hybrid cars put to the test at Expoelectric 2017

Electric and hybrid vehicles are taking on a considerable role in our market. Hardly any brand fails to offer a hybrid in its range and, little by little, an electric model too. This is no exception for Volkswagen, a manufacturer that offers the e-Golf, Golf GTE and Passat GTE.

In a few weeks, Expoelectric 2017 will take place, a convention where electric and hybrid vehicles will demonstrate what they are capable of on the tarmac. In this way, the public will be able to get closer to the world of hybrids and, above all, to that of electric cars. The German brand will bring its range of hybrid and electric models with the aim of showing attendees the main features and advantages of this type of vehicle.

This year marks the seventh edition, and it will take place in Barcelona. Anyone who visits the Volkswagen stand will have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Golf GTE, Passat GTE and e-Golf. In this way they will be able to have direct contact with the electrified cars of the German brand. Volkswagen also takes the opportunity to show once again its most efficient city car, the e-Up!.

It should be remembered that the Golf GTE is presented as the most radical plug-in hybrid variant of the German compact. It is offered as an alternative to the traditional GTI, since the aim is for the customer to have performance very similar to it but with lower consumption.

In the GTE we find two engines: one electric and one combustion. Together they produce a total output of 204 CV and offer a range of up to 50 kilometres in electric mode. As a novelty, the hybrid Golf receives the Virtual Cockpit -digital instrument cluster- and the 8″ Discovery Media navigation system as standard.

In the Passat GTE we find a system that works in the same way as in its smaller sibling. The engine delivers a total output of 218 CV and also features a combination of an electric motor and a combustion engine. Volkswagen seeks to offer a saloon with great performance, focused above all on long journeys.

The e-Golf arrives as a 100% electric vehicle. Inside, we find an electric motor that produces 136 CV -compared with the 115 it offered before the facelift- and its top speed is 150 km/h. But that is not all: the new e-Golf has a range of 300 kilometres and the German engineers have worked to reduce the charging time of Volkswagen’s electric car.

The features of the e-Up! are very similar to those of the e-Golf, only on a smaller scale since it is a smaller vehicle. It has a lithium-ion battery that delivers a maximum output of 82 CV. This allows it to reach a speed of 130 km/h and have a range of 160 kilometres, making it a great option for tackling urban environments.

It will be on 11 and 12 November when Volkswagen’s electric vehicles are in Barcelona, and we remind you that anyone who visits will be able to get behind the wheel of all the vehicles and experience what hybridisation and electrification involve.