Battle of the EVs surprises me!
VW e-Golf beats the Chevy Bolt on my first impressions
This week I had the opportunity to test drive two of the newest EVs at the Plug n Drive Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre in Toronto; the Chevrolet Bolt and the VW e-Golf. From my first impressions, and much to my surprise, the e-Golf felt like the better car.
The Chevy Bolt (pictured on the left with the outgoing Nissan Leaf) has been garnering much positive press, and I was excited to take it out for a spin. While it was a decent ride, I just couldn't find a comfortable driving position because of the steering wheel / dashboard / seat geometry. Specifically, I could not adjust the position of the steering in such a way that it was comfortable and see the dash display behind it at the same time. To see the dash I had to raise the wheel to the point my arms were so high I felt like I was driving a tractor. But unlike a tractor, I found the driver's seat to be too narrow. Furthermore, the gear selector (i.e. the shifter) was quite unconventional to operate with unnecessary buttons and extra steps needed to get the car going. It was too weird.
In comparison, I quickly found a near perfect driving position in the VW e-Golf (pictured on the right). The displays and controls felt just like the conventional Golf. It didn't feel at all weird as did the Bolt. In fact it felt like a gas powered Golf, only better, due in part to its lower centre of gravity and instant torque.
I was also impressed by the e-Golf's central display's rendering of its current driving range, specifically how it seems to have calculated it based on actual roads and not some radar-like circle (which could have taken it into Lake Ontario). Sorry for the glare in the photo taken with my smartphone, but the lightest portion of the map shows the return trip range, the medium one way range, and the darkest would be beyond the range available at current charge. Unfortunately, I did not get a comparable shot from the Bolt.
Range and Price
The e-Golf is rated for 201km of range per full charge, and starts at $36k. The Bolt is 383 km and starts at $43k. Both vehicles are eligible for the maximum Ontario EV incentive of $14,000.
Conclusion
First impressions count for a lot, and given what I learned this week, and despite the brand damage following Dieselgate, the VW e-Golf is my lead candidate to replace my Toyota Prius. That won't be for a while, so in the meantime I await future test drives in the upcoming Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model 3.
If you are in the market for a car, gas or electric, do yourself a favour and visit the Plug n Drive Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre first so you can make an informed decision. Now is a GREAT TIME TO BUY an EV.
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