The Volkswagen Golf used to be the pinnacle of the hatchback segment in Europe and one of the most successful models in the history of the automotive industry. As the industry keeps shifting in favor of EVs, the VW Golf is slowly losing its grip in favor of the ID. range, but VW still hopes to retain the VW Golf by offering it as an electric e-Golf version.
The Peugeot e-208 is what Peugeot believes a perfect entry-level subcompact electric car is supposed to be, but how do these two stack against each other? In this article, we are going to compare the Peugeot e-208 vs VW e-Golf and tell you why you should go for one over the other.
The e-Golf was first introduced for the 2015 model year and the Mk7 generation, but it never got the recognition VW had hoped for. Because of this, VW decided that it will not off offering the new Mk8 Golf in EV guise which is rather a shame as this makes the future of the VW Golf range rather uncertain.
Either way, we are going to compare the e-Golf to the good-looking e-208 which seems to be gathering more and more popularity as time goes on.
Peugeot e-208 – The Smallest Peugeot EV
With a starting price of £31,345 in the UK, €32,250 in the Netherlands, and €35,350 in Germany, the e-208 is situated at the very bottom of the EV market. This makes it incredibly competitive, especially because you can take advantage of various government EV incentives that aren’t usually available for more expensive EVs.
The e-208 is powered by a usable 45kWh battery that pushes out 139hp through its single electric motor that drives the front wheels only. 0-60mph takes around 8 seconds while the overall range of the e-208 is between 125 miles and 265 miles depending on how you drive the car and the temperature outside.
Recharging the e-208 using a fast 150kW DC charger takes around 25 minutes while slow AC 7.4kW charging takes a little over 7 hours. The design of the e-208 sure is its strong suit as many believe that the e-208 is by far the best-looking car in its segment.
The reliability aspect of the e-208 is also fairly decent, but long-term reliability is still a mystery as the e-208 is a fairly new car.
VW e-Golf – The Electric Version Of The Most Popular VW Of All Time
The first generation of the e-Golf came out in 2015 and it featured a rather small 20.5kWh battery with a €34,900 price in Germany, €36,190 in the Netherlands, and £26,345 in the UK. The real-world range of the initial e-Golf is around 80 miles. The engine is situated over the front wheels and offers 114hp. The DC fast charging rate is capped at 44kW which means that 10-80% takes 22 minutes while slow AC 3.7kW charging takes almost 7 hours.
The facelifted MK7 e-Golf ups the ante by offering a comparably larger 32kWh battery, and a £28,075 price in the UK, €34,005 in the Netherlands, and €31,900 in Germany. The real-world range of the facelifted e-Golf is between 80 and 175 miles depending on how you drive the car and the temperature outside.
The facelifted e-Golf also uses a 40kW DC charger that recharges the battery from 10% to 80% in 36 minutes while slow AC 3.4kW charging takes 5 hours and 15 minutes. The design of the e-Golf is the same as with the normal Golf in addition to some sharp daytime running LEDs, blue touches, and more streamlined LEDs.
The space on offer is as good as it is with normal Golf. VW has managed to make the e-Golf a really reliable car which comes as no surprise since it’s both a Golf and an EV.
Conclusion – The Peugeot e-208 Is The Better Car
The reason why the Peugeot e-208 wins this comparison is that the e-Golf is too old to compete. With its small battery and slow charging times, the e-208 is simply a better electric car overall. The e-Golf does offer more space and carries a more upmarket appeal, but it falls short when it comes to technology and overall popularity.
Most people who buy a Golf typically go for a diesel, hybrid, or gasoline variant, especially the Mk8 GTE which is likely the best Golf you can buy and it wipes the floor with the e-208 in most regards, except for everything in the EV realm.
FAQ Section
Why Did VW Discontinue The e-Golf?
The production of the VW e-Golf was done in VW’s Dresden Germany factory which was later adopted for the VW ID.3. The VW ID.3 is remarkably similar to what the e-Golf wanted to achieve, but with all the benefits of modern-day technology, better range, a larger battery, and a platform made specifically for an electric powertrain.
Moreover, the VW e-Golf was never all that popular in Europe as it came out during the time when true EVs weren’t really a thing. However, when EVs did start to ramp up, they were already much more advanced than the e-Golf.
Is The VW Golf Ever Going To Go Fully Electric?
The past few years have kept the Golf’s future shrouded in complete mystery as VW didn’t officially say that the Golf is going to continue. However, VW did recently come out and say that the Mk9 Volkswagen Golf is going to be a complete EV that is going to slot between the ID.3 and the next-gen VW ID.2 city car.
As the VW Golf is a legend, it certainly is good news that it is going to be carried over into the EV era. The reality is that it is still difficult to find a car that is as well-rounded as the VW Golf, so we sure hope that VW makes the Mk9 equally as good.
When Is The New Peugeot e-208 Coming Out?
The new Peugeot e-208 is going to be released rather soon and is going to offer a decent upgrade to all of the car’s EV stats which means more power, more range, and faster charging speeds. It is unclear if the next-gen e-208 is going to be re-designed or if all the changes are going to be limited to the powertrain.
