Volkswagen Commits To 2013 Golf EV Debut: Report

Volkswagen has commited itself to putting an all-electric Golf in VW showrooms by late next year, giving the German auto giant a zero-emissions small car to rival the Nissan LEAF and Holden Volt.

Volkswagen of America president Jonathan Browning is quoted by American media outlet Automotive News as saying that the Golf EV will make its debut in North America sometime in late 2013, with European sales commencing not long after.

Whether or not the Golf EV will be offered in Australia is unknown of course.

The Golf EV will likely be heavily based on the Golf Blue-e-Motion that is currently undergoing fleet trails in Germany.

Powered by an 85kW/270Nm electric motor, the Blue-e-Motion's 26kWh lithium-ion battery gives it enough juice to travel for 150km. Top speed is a claimed 140km/h, and the electric Golf will supposedly hit 100km/h from rest in 11.8 seconds.

The all-electric Golf won't be the only EV in its passenger car stable, though. A battery-electric variant of the Up! city car - dubbed the E-Up - is also confirmed for a 2013 market debut, and is aimed squarely at city-dwelling urbanites who rarely need to travel far.