Electric Version of the VW up! Unveiled

As if the Volkswagen pp! wasn’t frugal enough, the engineers at VW have decided to create an all-electric version of the tiny city car: the e-up! This will in fact be Volkswagen’s very first production electric vehicle, and while it’s unlikely to make it to the states, it is a large step forward for the German manufacturer.

An electric motor will power the up! with 81 horsepower. While this is more than the normal 74 horsepower model, the electric version will be slower, owing to the additional weight of the battery pack. A 0-62 time of 14 seconds is slow whichever way you look at it, but it’s unlikely that up! buyers will have speed anywhere near their list of priorities. Top speed is just 84mph, but the car does have a respectable 155lb/ft of torque, which is available immediately.

A full charge of the 18.7kWh battery will give the little car a range of slightly more than 90 miles. This isn’t going to be any good for those who regularly drive over long distances, but it’s sufficient for those who use the up! for city driving. According to Volkswagen, 80 percent charge is reachable in just half an hour of being plugged in, which is quite impressive.

Looks wise, the e-up! will be mostly similar to the standard model. The main difference will be a slightly revised front bumper, and LED daytime running lights. The skirts and underside will also receive some changes, with the aim of improving aerodynamic performance. Alloy wheels are unique to the e-up!

Inside the car, there’ll be additional leather trim, with some chrome detailing. The little car has already been praised for having an upmarket feel, and it seems as though the all-electric version will be no different.

As of yet, there is no word on price, but orders will start being taken in autumn this year. With the standard model already very economical, prices are going to have to be very competitive to attract buyers. Many used standard ups are available with low mileage and extremely low prices on sites like Exchange and Mart, so it seems as though only those who can really live with the electric car’s limited mileage will be choosing it.

A great idea from Volkswagen, but we won’t truly be able to pass judgement until we find out what it’s going to cost.

Source: Gas2.0