The cars will be used in the Detroit Metro, San Francisco and Washington D.C., providing Volkswagen with data about how the powertrain performs across diverse climates, different usage and real-world charging patterns.

Of the test fleet, 12 will be used by Volkswagen employees, who will have 220 volt charging stations installed at their homes. Each car will be registered with an iPhone, allowing drivers to monitor and change settings for charging and climate control systems remotely via an app.

Dr Rudolf Krebs, executive vice president and head of Volkswagen Group E-Traction, said: ‘During this test we will examine in detail all the technical and administrative aspects of typical consumers using electric vehicles on an everyday basis.

‘For a successful market launch of electric vehicles, the way that home chargers are handled is very important, along with easy access to public charging infrastructure. For the U.S., we also have to recognize the specific legal regulations as well as the different characteristics of the electricity supply: both the reduced 110-volt mains supply and the type of charging plugs.’

Volkswagen’s global electric vehicle project will bring its first vehicles to market in late 2013 with an electric version of the up! city car in Europe, followed by the Golf Blue-e-Motion shortly afterwards. The Group also recently announced it would launch electric vehicles in China during 2014.