Volkswagen introduces new fully-electric Volkswagen e-up!

The Volkswagen up! is one of the most interesting cars currently available in some of the international markets, and it even won last year the renowned World Car of the Year Award at the 2012 New York Auto Show, where it was selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of sixty-four (64) top-level automotive journalists from twenty-five (25) countries around the world, including Auto Arabia’s editor Mohamed Sheta who represents the Middle East region in this award.

Now, Volkswagen AG is extending the already very interesting VW up! family and is thereby probably writing a new chapter in mobility as it presents its first fully electric production vehicle: the new e-up!.

The four-seat car – which operates with nearly zero noise – is being shown at today’s (14.03.2013) Annual Press and Investors Conference in Wolfsburg . The new e-up! will try to impress with its driving range of 150 km and apparently excellent everyday practicality.

Innovations that fascinate about the e-up! are, that the e-up!offers entry to a new pioneering vehicle concept with an electric drive and four seats. A car for daily use in the city, but it is also ideal for commuters or as an innovative second car. It can handle distances of up to 150 km effortlessly. Afterwards, the e-up! can be recharged to as much as 80 per cent of its energy storage capacity within 30 minutes.

With nearly zero noise, 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 metres 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 filling flap’. As an option, the Combined Charging System (CCS) is used, which has been standardised by Volkswagen and other 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 according to VW expresses 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! can be made out at first glance by its machine-polished 15-inch alloy wheels, Volkswagen emblems with blue backgrounds and an e-up! logo at the rear.

The vehicle’s interior features e-up! light-grey seat covers with blue top-stitched seams. 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 autumn, the e-up! will make its show debut at the International Autoshow in Frankfurt and following this will become available to order. First UK customer deliveries are expected to take place from early 2014, while it is not decided yet if the VW up! will be available in the Middle East and North Africa or not.

As soon as we test-drive this latest member of the up!-family, you will read a detailed and comprehensive review here on autoarabia.org and on our Auto Arabia Facebook Group.

And if the VW e-up! drives as good as the press release claims, then the e-up! will surely have some good chances of winning a possible Best-Green-Car-of-The-Award, just like its gasoline-brother did last year at the 2012 World Car Of the Year Award.

MS
Wolfsburg – Bonn – Dubai
15.03.2013