Volkswagen E-Up! at Frankfurt IAA 2009

Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen group announced at the 2009 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show that Volkswagen will launch a zero emission Up! on the market in 2013. A small car Up! concept with gasoline engine was unveiled at 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show preparing for the launching of a small Volkswagen on the market in 2011. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn provided a more detailed vision on electric car prospect. " One of the basic milestone on Volkswagen timeline is the mass produced electric car." says Dr. Winterkorn, "Yet, to be a genuine success such an electric car must be affordable to a broad customer base and must be uncompromisingly practical in everyday driving. Only then, in high volumes, and ideally on all continents, can one truly speak of the beginning of the electric age in automobiles and a perceptible reduction of their environmental impact." The Group chief continues: " Nonetheless, until production numbers of a purely electric car approach the success curve of a Polo, its schedule will indicate the year 2020 at the earliest. That is why our highly efficient TDI and TSI engines are the most important waypoints of the present. They will continue to be a dominant force for decades. And they are what allow us to make the step-by-step transition to the future. Cars with pure petrol and diesel engines - which in the foreseeable future will continue be un beatable for mid- to long-range distances - will be supplemented by cars like the E-Up! in upcoming years, especially in the city. And that will happen starting 2013. The concept car now being presented in Frankfurt very realistically shows how we envision such a Volkswagen with pure electric drive - technically, visually and with regard to a practical size."

The zero emissions concept car is based on modules of the New Small Family anticipated in the year 2011, but at a length of 3,19 metres it is even more compact. It also offers an innovative 3+1 seating concept.

The 135 kph fast 3+1 seater is driven by an electric motor with a peak power output of 60 kW (continuous power of 40 kW). The motor of the front-wheel drive car, which is mounted in front, develops a maximum torque of 210 Nm right from rest. The E-Up! 0 to 100 kph sprint time is announced for 11,3 seconds with even greater responsiveness in the intermediate sprint from 0 to 50 kph in 3,5 seconds. This dynamic performance is based first on the electric motor's excellent torque characteristic and second on the low dry weight of the E-Up! which is just 1.085 kg. This low weight is quite astounding considering that 240 kg are taken by the lithium-ion battery. The implemented battery's energy capacity of 18 kWh enables driving distances of up to 130 km, depending on driving style.

Depending on the available charging infrastructure and the battery's momentary charge state, the storage battery could be charged to up to 80 per cent of its total capacity within an hour. If the batteries are recharged in a home garage, for example, by plugging it into a 230 Volt household outlet, this would take a maximum of five hours.

The batteries are housed in the underbody of the E-Up! to optimally distribute the weight of the battery system. It is housed in a special, crash-protected tray. Air cooling ensures a constant heat balance within the batteries. The fans and exchangers needed for this are located in the front section of the underbody. All important drive assemblies and auxiliary equipments are integrated in the engine compartment at the front end. At 140 kg, the integral drive is very light.

The Volkswagen E-Up! roof is equipped with solar cells that continuously supply energy to the car's electrical system, and when the car is parked in daylight, they help to cool the interior by supplying energy to the ventilation system. In order to save energy the actuators such as mirror adjustment and window lifts were designed to be manually operated.

Dimensions: Length 3.199 mm, Width 1.641 mm, Height 1.468 mm, Wheelbase 2.190 mm.

Texte Paul Damiens - Photos and illustrations Volkswagen and Paul Damiens

Volkswagen E-Up wallpapers (click on picture to enlarge)