The future is electric

Previously I have written about the advancements in electric cars, notably the Golf GTE which combines electric power and a petrol engine in a classic hybrid format. I felt it ticked many boxes; being sporty and car like at the same time, no congestion charge, high levels of mpg and the ability to run on the motorway all day without any range anxiety. Last month I took delivery of my new GTE and I have to say after driving it for a few weeks I am completely sold. Nothing to do with all the blue lighting and accents the GTE model comes with… the GTI comes with red accents.

With the business now operating across a wider group, the need to visit company offices and customers meant I needed a practical car, not just a play thing. Now being a petrol head I should have immediately started looking at hot hatches like the Audi S1 or the new RS3, but I also wanted a car I would not worry about and the more exotic the metal the more precious I become. The joy about the GTE is the Golf shape is relatively common and in a dark blue (I would have gone lighter but it wasn’t an option!) it doesn’t draw attention. I have found myself quite happy to park in multi-storey car parks without feeling the need to inspect the inevitable damage upon my return.

But what really stands out is the deployment of the electric engine and how gloriously addictive it is. I can see why people love their Tesla’s as I now try to drive as much as possible without the engine running. Obviously this is limited when the battery charges to only 27 miles and drops away as I start making the most of the torque. But what really works is the mixture of petrol and electric. In the hybrid mode the ability to get the car moving using electric power means the petrol’s inevitable inclusion is smooth and unnoticeable. You have to look at the rev counter to see if it has come alive.

A journey, avoiding the motorway, will average around 80 mpg. There is an advance mode in the gearbox to increase engine breaking, which I great as I have a tendency to try and not use the brakes. Shorter trips have seen 300 mpg as plugging the car in to charge back up is possible. Motorway miles are not as impressive as the small 1.4 litre engine has to work hard to keep at my average speed and cart around 300kg of useless battery and electric engine. So on long trips economy drops to 40mpg and down into the 30s when the ‘recharge’ option is selected.

Having said that I have almost ignored the economy and have been more sold on the benefit of the electric motor and how much it compliments the petrol engine. I can see why companies like Rolls Royce are looking at it for their next Phantom – it provides a level of refinement engines can’t match.

Now I spend my days trying to organise meetings I need to drive to so I can make the most of my new car and it’s electric thrill.