Wie sollte E-Mobilität am besten gefördert werden?
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Branchenguide
Seriously, the back seat, in this tiny thing?! Our friendly e.GO Life pilot has absolutely no qualms about it. By booking a time slot, you could have this little e-car delivered to your doorstep from the Munich branch of the Aachen electric vehicle manufacturer - to judge its qualities for yourself. A great idea if you want to break into the market. And in the truest sense of the word, very accommodating. Now, here you are in the Munich snowstorm, standing in front of the just 3.35-meter-long electric flea, and have serious doubts whether the e.GO driver is serious. But he is: and nimbly climbs onto the seat behind the far-forward folded front seat. The 1.83-meter driver and the 1.90-meter colleague take a seat there. "You can move the seat back a bit more if you like," comes a voice from the back (of course everyone onboard is either vaccinated or recovered!).
A look back from the front: But indeed, the young man, definitely about 1.85 meters tall, isn't sitting awkwardly on the adult-sized single seat, the legroom is tight but sufficient for short distances. And the tall colleague is first amazed by the ample headroom that the Life draws from its equally ample but cleverly proportioned 1.58-meter height. You get a nostalgic Mini feeling in this small space wonder, especially the legroom in front is excellent thanks to the flat floor, and the headroom is anyway.
Space comes from height: Almost like an Ioniq 5!
Well, ok, it's almost as tall as the Ioniq 5 test car with its 1.60-meter roofline, which is parked a few meters away! Buuuuut: A solid 1.30 meters shorter and at 1.75 meters (with mirrors!) a full 14 centimeters narrower than the Korea CUV without mirrors, with a stretched wheelbase of 2.2 meters. In short: A real city cracker, unlike the Ioniq, which often sticks out sideways from parking spaces... The Aachen start-up proudly claims that the e.GO Life is 22 percent narrower than an average SUV. Yes, and when you think of full-size SUVs like the BMW-anticipated XM, the e.GO Life ends up being "half the length."
Sure, there's not much more space in the rear with all seats occupied than for the charging cable and two crates of drinks. But hey, how often do you travel with four people! Quickly fold down the seats, and instead of the 140 liters, you get an impressive 640 liters of loading volume, which along with passengers can weigh up to 260 kilograms. That's enough for a weekend trip for two. Just don't go too far. In city traffic, the Life manages a respectable 171 kilometers (WLTP City). But on a chilly day like this with the heater set at 19 degrees (which, by the way, makes it nice and warm), it might be less.
The rather high consumption reduces the range
And anyone who exclusively uses the highway, which is certainly possible with the stable chassis and a top speed of 122 km/h, will be at the (slow) charger at least every 125 kilometers, which draws a maximum of 3.7 kW into the storage in Type 2 single-phase. This takes nearly six hours from 0 to 95 percent, almost ten on household electricity. After all, the Life still lacks the faster charging option, which would significantly expand the city car's spectrum to a universal vehicle. It is planned, as is a larger battery option to the 21 kWh module with up to 200 kilometers range, our driver assures. Well, better efficiency would be the cheaper way. The charger, by the way, is an 11-kW unit, not a DC system, which would be overkill for the small electric car.
City car? Sometimes it just has to be more comfortable
In the meantime, one can get along with it, although the fundamental question naturally arises: "Isn't the term city car a contradiction in itself?". Although the road is fairly clear in Munich North at noon. But that is the absolute exception. Normally, you spend more time standing in the city than driving. And you're therefore usually faster with a bike or the tram or underground. Be that as it may: there may be cases when you just want it to be more comfortable, warmer, and more entertaining. And it is: from the LED lights with light/rain sensor to the board, seat, front, and rear window heaters, acoustic park warners (actually unnecessary) and a decent 7" infotainment sound system with four speakers as well as very decent Isri seats, everything you really need for a comfortable drive, far above the level of the 48-volt Stromer Citroen Ami or Opel Rocks-e is actually on board. The e.GO is already: A grown-up car that wants to be taken seriously as such.
Much more grown-up than the low-voltage micros from PSA
And then, on a meter more length and 20 centimeters more width than the low-voltage Stromer from PSA, it perhaps packs a perfect "urban package". You can almost always find a parking spot anywhere and still get through the narrowest city street. Moreover, the little car, after the somewhat anachronistic start by turning the key, starts off quite briskly with its 57-kW peak Bosch motor in the rear in sport mode: formally from 0 to 50 in 4.3 seconds. To optimize the range, however, we then prefer "normal," which also provides sufficient thrust. Although one must say: A consumption of 18.3 kWh/100 km for such a micro-Stromer is not exactly exhilarating, considering the 13.9 kWh/100 km of a Dacia Spring...
The "Take Off" is accompanied by a conspicuous howling in the lower speed range, which is also supposed to serve as an external warning. It's always clear: you're driving an electric car here. And quite often faster than slower. You brake yourself with the sharply responsive operational stoppers in the ample 17-inch aluminum wheels. By the way, recuperation happens automatically and speed-dependently, but far from "one-pedal driving". The strategy is more like "let it roll", the (small) masses, with a curb weight of about 1.2 tons.
Mini feelings: Crisp chassis and handling
In addition to the quite lively driving performance, there is a crisp chassis: The Life rides like a go-kart on the road, not unlike the original Mini, and springs firmly, sportily, and honestly, but does not miss out on road contact, also guaranteed through the precise steering of the height-adjustable steering wheel. For the city, the comfort is acceptable, but on longer trips, the rock-hard suspension can be annoying. It is noticeable that the body is processed without creaking and torsionally rigid on the aluminum frame. The outer skin is made of dyed polymer plastic, is fully recyclable, and so bump-resistant and robust that our chauffeur jokingly runs the key along the "paint." This briefly stirs the soul of any driver.
Small, but mighty: The price appears self-assured
Unfortunately, this also holds true when looking at the price list: Sure, sustainably produced and "made in Germany," virtually fully equipped, that's already in the back of your mind. But 26,560 euros gross for the "Special Edition Next," discounted by the manufacturer bonus of 3,750 euros and Bafa bonus of 6,000 euros to 16,990 euros, is still pretty steep for a small car - no matter how electric and sustainable it is. The Dacia Spring, derived from the Chinese Renault EZE, starts at 20,490 euros base and ends up at 10,920 euros, but offers significantly more space in a 3.73 car, a trunk (290 liters) and, thanks to higher efficiency (13.9 kWh/100 km) along with a larger battery (27 kWh), a range of 234 (WLTP) to 305 kilometers (city), in addition to the 7.4 kW charger optionally even with a 30 kW CCS option. It is a bit of the curse of the good deed, with the commendable high sustainability and regional claim: The e.GO Life has been somewhat overtaken by reality. Furthermore, for such a format, it needs to be not only space-efficient but also energy-efficient. Yet it is a sympathetic, consistently space-saving and fully sustainable contribution to urban e-mobility. And will hopefully make its way, which has been so rocky so far.
Translated automatically from German.
Branchenguide
Elektromobilität , Newsletter Elektromobilität , IAA Mobility , SUVs und Geländewagen , Hybrid , Antriebsarten, Kraftstoffe und Emissionen , Oberklasse- und Sportwagen , Carsharing , Autonomes Fahren (Straßenverkehr) , Ladeinfrastruktur , Verkehrspolitik , Formel E , Brennstoffzellen , Fahrzeug-Vernetzung und -Kommunikation , Fahrzeuge & Fuhrpark , Automotive-Messen & Veranstaltungen , Pkw, Kompakt- und Mittelklasse , Minis und Kleinwagen , E-Auto-Datenbank, E-Mobilität-/Automotive-Newsletter, E-Auto-Tests
