Goodbye e-Golf, Hello id.3 - The end of the line for the e-Golf

[manybees]

The last e-Golf has rolled off the production line at the Dresden factory, which will now be dedicated entirely to making the id.3. So this marks officially the end of the e-Golf product line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi8XfHv01yM

 

[f1geek]

Yes, our cars are now orphans. Time to start pestering VW to improve the software in the e-Golf. Things I'd like to see VW roll out: Apple CarPlay EV Routing, digital SoC indication in the infotainment system / dashboard, software update to the car so it self identifies as an EV (I am a bit tired of seeing gas stations as the first option in Apple Maps POI list). Otherwise, I think the car is great, and I realize I'm nitpicking, but hey, Herbert Diess just got a vote of confidence for his EV transformation policy, so let's all start bothering VW to improve the e-Golf!

 

[manybees]

Yes, our cars are now orphans. Time to start pestering VW to improve the software in the e-Golf. Things I'd like to see VW roll out: Apple CarPlay EV Routing, digital SoC indication in the infotainment system / dashboard, software update to the car so it self identifies as an EV (I am a bit tired of seeing gas stations as the first option in Apple Maps POI list). Otherwise, I think the car is great, and I realize I'm nitpicking, but hey, Herbert Diess just got a vote of confidence for his EV transformation policy, so let's all start bothering VW to improve the e-Golf!

I agree with all of those suggestions for software updates. I doubt that we see any of them given that most, if not all, of the software for the e-Golf was outsourced to 3rd parties, and VW is not likely to distribute updates unless it’s to fix something that’s broken (that’s the old way of thinking, I know). It’s great that Diess got a vote of confidence, but I’m not sure if that will translate into VW now being willing to make investments in their old technology. It’s unfortunate because I for one would be willing to pay a small sum to get those features implemented, but the market for the e-Golf is so small (only around 150,000 sold worldwide since 2015), that it’s doubtful they’ll make the investment, much as I might hope it to be otherwise.

In the meantime, I’ll happily drive my e-Golf for a few more years and then hopefully move on to the Buzzz. I love the look of that prototype design!

 

[f1geek]

Yeah, production numbers are small potatoes for VW.

Also, I was wrong - our cars are not orphans. VW would have to cease operations for that to happen. Luckily, we will have manufacturer support for a long time to come, assuming VW is a successful company far into the future.