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Volkswagen has revealed an all-electric version of the VW Golf. This isn’t a production car, but VW admits its an important step on the way to developing a fully dedicated electric car.
Unveiled by VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and Germany’s environment minister Sigmar Gabriel, the new Volkswagen Golf uses a small internal combustion engine to keep the battery charged; the same principle as GM’s eFlex system. VW is calling it Twin Drive. It can also be recharged from the mains. Powered by electricity alone it has a range of 50km.
The driver can monitor energy usage from the car’s infotainment screen. A red kill switch in the centre console acts as an emergency cut out. The lithium ion battery is located in the boot.
The car is part of a larger project initiated by the German government to explore alternatives to traditional energy sources; the long term aim is “to provide a zero emission platform for the use of renewable energy in future mobility.”
Dan Stevens
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