12:29 pm, November 9, 2010
VOLKSWAGEN’s prototype electric Golf blue-e-motion has won the inaugural Future Car Challenge.
The car also won its category, Most Economic and Environment Friendly Regular Passenger EV.
Driven by Jim Holder, Editor of What Car? and Volkswagen engineer Folko Rohde, the Golf blue-e-motion won the event in which participants had to travel from Brighton to London.
Their Golf consumed the least amount of energy, allowing the pair to win The Royal Automobile Club Gold Medal, and marked the first appearance of the Golf concept car to the UK.
Jim Holder said: ‘It’s a testimony to the abilities of the Golf blue-e-motion that it won despite the fact I’d never competed in any sort of eco driving challenge before.
‘Folko was a superb tutor in getting the best from the car, but the fact is that this was a challenge on real roads and, in my case, without an expert ‘eco’ driver at the wheel.
‘That just underlines how efficient the blue-e-motion is now – so to think how good it will be when it goes on sale in three years time is extremely exciting.
‘Better still, we made it to London without any hint of a worry about range, and in total comfort. Already, this is a car that lives up to all the expectations that come with being a Golf; it’s refined, a joy to drive and supremely practical.’
Powered by lithium-ion batteries, the Golf blue-e-motion has an electric motor with a peak power output of 115 PS and a range of around 100 miles in normal conditions. It can reach a top speed of 86mph and does 0-62mph in 11.8 seconds.
The Golf blue-e-motion is still in development and is hoped to be on sale by late 2013.
by JAMES BATCHELOR
