VW e-Up (update)
VW announced the launch of the updated
e-Up, one of the smallest purely electric vehicles you can buy right now. With
the range fresh out of general facelift, it would be unwise for VW to leave the
electric version of the Up city car wearing the old clothes.
The new VW e-Up comes with the same
exterior revisions we saw in the petrol-powered models, meaning a new front
bumper, redesigned headlights with LED daytime running lights and taillights,
wing mirrors with integrated indicators, and a rear diffuser.
Power is still provided by an 81 hp electric motor which offers 210 Nm of torque from zero rpm,
allowing the e-Up to reach an 130 km/h top speed, with 0-100 km/h coming in 13 seconds.
The lithium-ion battery pack is
integrated into the floor and has a capacity of 18.7kWh, giving the e-Up a
driving range of up to 160 km depending on the road conditions. VW
claims that the e-Up has an energy consumption of just 11.7kWh per 100 km (62
miles) which equates to around three euros per the same distance travelled. The
new VW e-Up tips the scales at 1,139 kg.
VW has also updated the standard
equipment levels of their small EV. In addition to the already standard
Climatronic system, heated windscreen, leather steering wheel and City
Emergency Braking function, the company added a rain sensor, the 'Coming
home/Leaving home' function for the light, the 'composition phone' radio with
telephone hands-free function and the 'maps + more dock' smartphone integration.
Customers will be able to opt for a
reversing camera, a multifunction steering wheel, the CCS charging socket for
fast battery charging and new exterior colours. Pricing starts at the same
levels as before, at € 26,900 (US$ 30k), only now
the VW e-Up is eligible for a rebate of € 4,000 which brings the final price
down to a more affordable price of € 22,520 for the German market.
