New e-Up will debut at Frankfurt and features innovative charging technology
This is the VW e-Up, which has made a brief appearance at today's annual VW press conference ahead of its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.
VW says the e-Up has a range of up to 93 miles and that the battery pack can be recharged to 80 percent of its full capacity in 30 minutes. The e-Up is a relative flyweight as far as battery-powered vehicles are concerned, weighing in at 1185kg, which compares favourably with the Nissan Leaf, which weighs around 1500kg.
The e-Up is powered by an electric motor that produces peak power of 80bhp and a continuous output of 53bhp. 155lb ft of torque is on tap from start-up. The car has a claimed 0-62mph time "within 14 seconds" and a top speed of 84mph. Power comes from an 18.7kWh lithium-ion battery (by contrast, the Nissan Leaf uses a 24kWh battery) which is said to be packaged beneath the Up's floor. The car on display at Wolfsburg was not accessible, but the battery pack does not intrude into the cabin.
The e-Up will also have the option of the new Combined Charging System (CCS), which VW and other car makers have co-developed and supports both AC and DC charging and should be able to cope with all types of charging station.
VW gave no hint on price, but the company will be taking orders for the e-Up shortly after its Frankfurt debut.