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 81hp (82PS) electric motor which offers 154lb ft (210Nm) of torque from zero rpm, allowing the e-Up to reach an 81mph (130km/h) top speed, with 0-62mph (0-100km/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 100 miles (160km) depending on the road conditions. VW claims that the e-Up has an energy consumption of just 11.7kWh per 100km (62 miles) which equates to around three euros per the same distance travelled. The new VW e-Up tips the scales at 1,139kg.
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 (around $30k in current exchange rates), 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.
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