Volkswagen E-Up! To arrive in 2013

By 2013 at the latest, Volkswagen plan to bring a model onto the market with zero emissions at point of use. CEO Martin Winterkorn made this announcement as the Frankfurt Motor Show got underway. VW have lagged behind the rest in the move to embrace the electric car, but there are indications that things could now get lively on this front, with the E-Up! becoming VW's ecological standard bearer as the launch date of 2011 for their new small family car approaches.

The E-Up! is intended to show how an electrically powered urban runabout from VW might look. The vehicle has shrunk from its original design to 3.19 metres in length. Because VW have moved the front passenger seat relatively far forward, there is now room on that side of the car for two adults to travel in comfort. Rather like the iQ from Toyota, the E-Up! is best described as a 3+1-seater. The power is stored in a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 18 kilowatt hours – enough for an 80-mile journey (130 kilometres). VW claim a top speed for the prototype of 83mph (135 km/h).

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