VOLKSWAGEN'S e-Golf electric car has been around since 2014 and the latest version has been given a 50 per cent boost in range, now up to a claimed 186 miles.

As well as improved battery technology the e-Golf has been given revised styling and additional connectivity features, both in the car and in the driver's hand, via a mobile smartphone.

The new e-Golf is available to order now from Volkswagen's network of specialist e-Retailers and is priced at £32,190 or £27,690 with the plug-in car grant included.

Volkswagen has increased the efficiency of the zero emission e-Golf and the result is a real driving range increase of 50 per cent compared to the outgoing model.

A range of 186 miles is quoted from the official New European Driving Cycle, while with driving style and other circumstances considered the range is effectively 124 miles.

This has been achieved with an increase in the energy capacity of the e-Golf's lithium-ion battery from 24.2 kWh to 35.8 kWh.

Power is increased to 100 kW, or 136bhp which means the e-Golf's performance figures are improved too, with the 0 to 62 mph time now 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 93 mph. As before, drive is via a single-speed gearbox.

When the e-Golf needs charging the battery can go from empty to 80 per cent full in 45 minutes when a 40 kW DC rapid charger connection is used.

Alternatively, charging from empty to full from a wallbox charging takes approximately five hours 20 minutes.

Completing the interior of the e-Golf is the optional active info display, which replaces the traditional instrumentation with a 12.3-inch high-resolution screen that can be personalised so that it displays the information the driver wants.

The exterior of the five-door car features all-LED lights at the front and the rear and it comes with different shaped front and rear bumpers plus LED daytime running lights that are embedded within the outer edges of the front bumper.