Volkswagen charges up its new electric car: the VW e-Up
The original Volkswagen Up was conceived as the archetypal city car, designed to appeal to drivers from London to Delhi and São Paulo. Clever packaging allows for a relatively roomy cabin with space for four adults despite a tiny footprint - the e-Up! is arguably the century's quintessential urban run-around. And yes, that exclamation mark is officially part of the car's name.
With electrification leading the next chapter in mobility, an e-powered sibling was always on the cards. Rather than follow in the footsteps of BMW, Renault and Nissan - all of whom are creating electric cars from scratch - VW's e-family is based on existing models, citing lower costs and a flexible approach to market trends.
From the outset, the Up was engineered to take an electric motor. The cabin retains its space thanks to the integration of the batteries and additional elements in the vehicle floor. Bar the dials that reveal information about battery life, and the gearshift that is now home to a clever energy recovery system, the e-Up is pretty similar to the standard car.
However, driving it is an entirely different experience. Our test route around central London and along country roads and narrow lanes revealed the benefits and flaws of electric driving. On the one hand it is pleasant gliding along in silence and the e-Up feels swift (even though it does 0-62mph in 12.4 seconds).
The downside is that perpetual bugbear of electric cars: 'range anxiety'. Finding ourselves a little lost, we watched the electric dial drop further and further down the scale. In the end, we resorted to turning off the heating and easing off the accelerator in a bid to save a little battery life. For the city-centric driver, these concerns are likely to melt away once you realise how few miles you actually cover, but anyone needing to go longer distances will have to steel their nerves.
As with all electric cars, battery life depends on how you drive the car. VW's official figures for the e-Up are a range of around 75-103 miles in summer and 50-75 miles in winter. The driver has some degree of intervention through the energy recovery system and the choice of three driving modes - normal, eco and eco plus - that progressively reduce power and electrical systems on-board. A standard plug takes nine hours to fully charge the car from empty, while a supercharger takes only half an hour.
There are huge benefits to owning an electric car. There is the ecological aspect - the electricity can come from renewable sources - and although you will pay a little more for the car, running costs are significantly lower. Plus, the electric drivetrain opens endless possibilities for car design and we are beginning to see some intriguing products. What remains is to get drivers behind the wheels of the new breed of e-cars to experience the sheer joy of electrification.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
-
Utilitarian men’s fashion that will elevate your everyday
From Prada to Margaret Howell, utilitarian and workwear-inspired men’s fashion gets an upgrade for S/S 2024
By Jack Moss Published
-
Gerhard Richter unveils new sculpture at Serpentine South
Gerhard Richter revisits themes of pattern and repetition in ‘Strip-Tower’ at London’s Serpentine South
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Vipp’s Scandinavian guesthouse offers a sleek setting amid a wild landscape
Vipp Cold Hawaii is a Scandinavian guesthouse designed by architecture studio Hahn Lavsen in Denmark’s Thy National Park
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
VW Golf at 50: the new model, and a look back at the pioneering small car
A VW Golf update brings new tech, innovations and efficiencies to keep the car at the heart of the brand 50 years after its debut
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
CES 2024 was a showcase for how to shoehorn AI into next-generation cars
CES 2024 in Las Vegas underlined that future mobility will be shaped by AI, like it or not, as intelligent assistants emerge to guide, plan and converse with their human cargo
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
24 transportation design innovations for 2024
From electric cars to new airports and sports boats, here’s a non-exhaustive list of 24 of the most interesting transportation design innovations to expect in the coming year
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Refreshed Volkswagen Touareg does the heavy lifting for long-distance travel
The new Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid is the people’s luxury SUV, capable of going anywhere and doing anything. Does it stack up to rivals?
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Year in review: top 10 transport design stories of 2023, selected by Wallpaper’s Jonathan Bell
Jonathan Bell’s top 10 transport design stories of 2023 span from electric campers and microcars to flying yachts and classic car recreations
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Year in review: the top 10 cars of 2023, as selected by Wallpaper’s Jonathan Bell
What were the best four-wheeled offerings of 2023? Transport editor Jonathan Bell takes us through the year’s most intriguing automobiles
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Four new compact camper vans showcase the best in modest mobile home design
Volkswagen, Citroën, Ford and Mercedes-Benz showcase their latest takes on contemporary van living
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Brilliant Volkswagen ID.Buzz cuts through the increasingly generic appearance of modern EVs
The Volkswagen ID.Buzz embodies automotive practicality and makes the most of Volkswagen’s EV platform, creating a family of vans, campers and light commercial trucks to match its historic Type 2
By Jonathan Bell Published