Volkswagen has been working on fully electric production vehicles for some time and finally has presented its first – the new e-up!.
The four-seater e-up! car operates with nearly zero noise and it impresses with its driving range of 150 km and excellent everyday practicality.
The e-up! offers entry to a car for daily use in the city and can alas be ideal for commuters or indeed as an innovative second car. Volkswagen claims that it can handle distances of up to 150 km effortlessly. Afterwards, the e-up! can be fast-charged to as much as 80 per cent of its energy storage capacity within 30 minutes.
The e-up! is powered by an electric motor with 60 kW / 82 PS peak power – without any disturbing gearshift interruptions or powertrain noise. Its continuous power is 40 kW / 55 PS. Its maximum torque of 210 Newton meters is available immediately with the first revolution.
It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h within 14 seconds and reaches a top speed of 135 km/h. The lithium-ion battery integrated in the underfloor area has a total energy storage capacity of 18.7 Kilowatt-hours (kWh); this means that the car can cover up to 150 km (per NEDC) on a single charge thanks to its low vehicle weight of 1,185 kg.
The port for charging the battery in the e-up! is hidden behind the “fuel door”. As an option, the Combined Charging System (CCS) is used, which has been standardised by a number of carmakers. It supports both DC and AC charging, so that drivers can easily charge their cars at most charging stations – regardless of the power sources or charging rates that they offer.
The styling of the e-up! is subtle and is designed to express high quality. One distinctive exterior feature is the curved layout of the LED daytime running lights in the front bumper. In addition, the front end, sills and underbody have been aerodynamically optimised.
The e-up! features machine-polished 15-inch alloy wheels, and the Volkswagen emblems also have blue backgrounds and there’s an e-up! logo at the rear.
The vehicle’s interior features e-up! light-grey seat covers with blue top-stitched seams. Volkswagen say that the special leather and chrome accents have been used to convey a puristic impression that matches the vehicle concept of a full-fledged urban electric car.
In September, the e-up! will celebrate its show premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, the largest in size globally. Order books for the e-up! will open subsequently. and sales in Ireland are expected to commence early in 2014.
