2015 VW Golf EV to Leverage Carbon-Offset Program

vw golf ev

In a fairly aggressive move for an automaker, Volkswagen will support the launch of the 2015 VW Golf electric vehicle, the e-Golf, by establishing a carbon-offset program with a leader in that field, 3Degrees.

Said Oliver Schmidt, general manager of the Environment and Engineering Office for the Volkswagen Group of America: “Volkswagen feels it is important to look beyond the benefits of driving a vehicle without tailpipe emissions and to take a holistic approach to e-mobility. We now have the ability to offer offsets that approximate the emissions created from production, distribution and the initial 36,000 miles of use [of the 2015 VW Golf EV].”

And to be clear, 3Degrees says that its carbon offsets “result in real, quantifiable, permanent, and additional greenhouse gas emission reductions that are third-party verified against objective, credible, and transparent standards.”

Among the first to benefit from the program will be:

• The Garcia River Forestry Project in Mendocino County, Calif., where a 24,000-acre forest of redwoods is under protection
• Big River and Salmon Creek Forests, also of Menocino Country, home to a 16,000-acre stand of redwoods
• The McKinney (Texas) Landfill project, which prevents emissions caused by landfill decomposition from reaching the atmosphere

As for the 2015 VW Golf EV, it will go on sale by the end of this year, at first in select markets, and showcase:

• An average of 70-90 miles of all-electric driving in real-world conditions, with a potential maximum range of 115 miles
• 220-/240-watt charging times of fewer than four hours, complemented by standard fast-charge capability that can top off the e-Golf’s battery pack to 80 percent of capacity in approximately 30 minutes
• Power outputs of 115 hp and 199 lb.-ft. of torque, enough to cover the 0-60 sprint in about 10 seconds, while reaching a top speed of 87 mph (electronically limited)

Pricing and more details about the 2015 VW Golf EV are still to come, but it is worth noting that another Volkswagen Group brand—Audi—also will team with 3Degrees on a carbon-offset initiative, for the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid.