Volkswagen e-Golf (2014-2019) running costs
The Volkswagen e-Golf is expensive to buy compared to some key rivals, but classy finish and comprehensive equipment help to make up for it
| Insurance group | Warranty | Service intervals | 2019/20 company-car tax cost (20%/40%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 3yrs / 60,000 miles | 2yrs / 10,000 miles | From £993 / £1,985 |
The e-Golf looks relatively expensive, but it's eligible for the Government’s Plug-In Car Grant and was recently discounted, so you can get behind the wheel for just over £27,500. There’s also the cost of installing a wallbox charger to consider: this also attracts a government grant, but will still cost you between £300 and £1,000.
You can buy a Nissan Leaf or the smaller Renault ZOE for quite a few thousand pounds less, but neither has the badge appeal of the Golf, nor the build quality typically associated with Volkswagen. You can buy a Toyota Prius Plug-In for similar money, or spend quite a few thousand more on a BMW i3. That makes the e-Golf look pretty solid value, as it’s definitely among the class leaders for both usability and desirability.
Once you’ve taken the plunge, it’s time to enjoy the rewards. Even a full charge should cost less than a fiver with average overnight electricity rates lower than 15p per kWh – and if you’ve only driven 30 miles, you’ll spend a lot less than that. It’s not quite motoring for pennies, but it’s not far off.
Volkswagen e-Golf insurance group
While the e-Golf feels pretty quick off the mark, it’s not as punchy as the similarly priced Golf GTD. That puts the e-Golf into insurance group 20, compared to the GTD’s group 27. The BMW i3 is group 21.
Warranty
Most of the e-Golf is covered by the manufacturer’s standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty, but the battery gets its own eight-year cover.
Servicing
An internal-combustion engine has more moving parts than an electric motor, and tends to have a more frequent requirement for servicing. Volkswagen reckons the e-Golf needs its first service after two years or 20,000 miles, and once a year after that. A service plan for the first two years costs £297.
Road tax
All electric cars are currently exempt from road-tax charges, so of course the e-Golf benefits from this.
Depreciation
Depreciation hasn't always been friendly to the first owners of many electric cars, but the e-Golf is predicted to perform better than quite a few other models in the Golf line-up. Its 45% predicted resale value after three years and 36,000 miles is only bettered – a little – by the most desirable Golfs, such as the GTI models. Prices have already started dropping as following the e-Golf's discontinuation, and should keep doing so as its ID.3 replacement is now on sale.
