Worried about commute before I lease - advice please?

[aarew170]

Turned in my TDI - and now very drawn to lease 2016 SE.
Holding me back is my commute distance:
- 30 miles each way - 60 total - mostly freeway - some hills
I am early morning commuter so 65 mph is norm

my gut tells me that' i'm pushing it and from what I'm reading.
There is a charge station near office, a short walk away
and keep pushing getting charger installed at work - not banking on it.

Intention would be to install 240v charger at home - and use for daily commute.
120v would not be enough to recover full charge in time needed.

what are your opinions on my choice?

appreciated!

 

[Kayakrn]

I had a 72 mile round trip commute so I got a job closer to home. Works great.

 

[johnnylingo]

- 30 miles each way - 60 total - mostly freeway - some hills
I am early morning commuter so 65 mph is norm

I'm 27 miles each way, mostly highway, average 60 mph, going up and over a 2,000 pass. I do just fine, but then again this is coastal california. The one time I do get concerned is on cold days if there's an accident, since I can't coast down the hill. Even then, I still get home with 1/4th battery left.

You'll be OK in the summer but winter depends on where you are. Either way the 240V home charger is a must since recovering that range would take over 16 hours on regular 120V. I would also strongly consider getting the upgraded charger option for an extra $30/month. It really helps expand the e-Golf's role beyond just a commuter car.

 

[forbin404]

30 each way is RIGHT at 15k year.
This is assuming you don't use the car to go anywhere else like weekends, going to the store, lunch, etc.

30 x 2 x 5 x 52 = 15600

 

[PacBlue]

Turned in my TDI - and now very drawn to lease 2016 SE.
Holding me back is my commute distance:
- 30 miles each way - 60 total - mostly freeway - some hills
I am early morning commuter so 65 mph is norm

my gut tells me that' i'm pushing it and from what I'm reading.
There is a charge station near office, a short walk away
and keep pushing getting charger installed at work - not banking on it.

Intention would be to install 240v charger at home - and use for daily commute.
120v would not be enough to recover full charge in time needed.

what are your opinions on my choice?

appreciated!

I hate the fact that including your general location (CA, PNW, AZ, Midwest, NE, etc.) isn't required on these forums and we all have to ask, but WHERE you live is almost as important as how fast you drive, etc. when determining EV range ... that being said, a new e-Golf should handle a 60 mile R/T commute UNLESS you have extreme hot or cold temps and then you might be cutting it close. My R/T work related commute is about 44 miles and I can safely charge it to 90% (not fully charging it to 100% unless really needed will lengthen the battery life) and still have a buffer even in the cold temps of the Midwest. Mine is also a non-heat pump LE (would be the same as a '16 SE) so the heater isn't as efficient as the SEL but its much more efficient than the '12 Nissan LEAF I replaced with it. A bonus is that you have access to a close-by charger near work if needed --- that would be your 'insurance' if you do indeed see your range drop due to a change in temps (if you live in more moderate temps than of course this isn't a factor).

As an aside -- my wife's car was in a recent fender bender and being a German made car needed to be in the shop for over a week so she drove my e-Golf while I needed to drive our ICE backup/utility/long trip car ('13 VW Touareg) and she loved it; so much so that when the Tesla Model 3 that this car has been serving as my stop gap EV car I may end up keeping it longer -- VW did right using the Golf platform for their EV (not including the Up! which we didn't get stateside); you'll love it.

 

[JoulesThief]

IMHO, since I own both several TDI's and own a 2015 SEL e-Golf. An e-Golf is a supplemental car for driving around in the city. In California, if you have a long commute, I would not consider it a sole vehicle, unless all you do is drive to and from work, where your company supplements your driving by providing free recharging facilities. Again, IMHO. Going from a TDI to an e-Golf is going from one extremely long ranged per fillup vehicle to one extremely short ranged vehicle, with 1/10 the range of the TDI.

From what you describe for your commute, the e-golf will work, but IMHO it's marginal and compromised, especially in the event of any natural disasters, flooding or earthquakes.

 

[currentlydriving]

I don't know when you are thinking of getting a new vehicle, but if you can wait a month or so, the 2017s should be arriving in April (at least that’s what the VW folks were saying at the L.A. Auto Show last November). The 2017s are EPA-rated for 125 miles of range (combined cycle), which sounds like it could solve your commuting issues. My guess is that dealers will be less inclined to deal on pricing right away for the 2017s, so the bargains are to be had on the 2016s—but if the longer range is a must-have feature, by all means wait for the 2017s.

 

[aarew170]

thanks for your inputs everyone -
I'm located in Oregon - btw.

I agree on the 2017 - I'm just to close on the range and waiting will remove those worries.
if a charger was at office - or when
not sure on the deals to expect on the 2017 - but right now the 2016 lease offer is attractive.
36x15k and $230 a month - nothing down.

Going to get a 2016 long term Subaru for replacement ICE car - then look at trading my wifes in on 2017 eGolf as I observe the incentives/offerings that come along.

 

[johnnylingo]

a new e-Golf should handle a 60 mile R/T commute UNLESS you have extreme hot or cold temps and then you might be cutting it close.

Agreed. This matches my experience 100%

Heating the cabin without a heat pump seems to make for the biggest range hit. This can be mitigated by turning off the auto climate control and driving in a jacket, hat, and gloves

And I would echo the thought that waiting to see pricing on the 2017/2018s wouldn't be a bad idea. Who knows - you may be able to get the 50% range boost for a couple bucks a day, which IMO is worth eliminating the range anxiety. The newer models should have some minor interior upgrades too.

 

[forbin404]

thanks for your inputs everyone -
I'm located in Oregon - btw.

I agree on the 2017 - I'm just to close on the range and waiting will remove those worries.
if a charger was at office - or when
not sure on the deals to expect on the 2017 - but right now the 2016 lease offer is attractive.
36x15k and $230 a month - nothing down.

Going to get a 2016 long term Subaru for replacement ICE car - then look at trading my wifes in on 2017 eGolf as I observe the incentives/offerings that come along.

Don't forget that once the 2017's come up the 2016's will be on fire sale. (well a tiny fire sale)

 

[Deschodt]

I got mine this w/e (2016). My car started fully charged with 92 miles. I commuted 44 miles yesterday through steep hills (freeway speeds at 70+), then in the city (also up and down). I got home with 47 miles left "in the tank". So by my car's behavior, 60 is no problem at all without A/C...have not tested with...And I drove it hard on the way back.

Yes the 2017 will also fix that issue for you, but a)not yet for sale b) will cost a bunch more, 2016s are on firesale in march... Mine was essentially free, but each lease is different...

I would say the biggest issue with your scenario was making sure you got recharged in time. You definitely need a 240V charger IMO. If you came home late, say 7, and needed a 14 hour recharge, you could not leave home until 9AM.... Too close...

Also if this is a primary car for you, you should consider an SEL with the faster on board charger and the 30 minute 80% recharge deal... Maybe 2016 SEL hits the spot for you.

 

[Sptgolf]

Not a problem at all. I commute 60 miles daily in San Diego and have never had an issue for over a year. My commute is mostly flat and freeway driving. I have experimented and have found an effective range of 80-100 miles per charge depending if you drive 55 or 75 mph.