Item: 2013 Volkswagen Up!
Rating: 7
Author: Paul Pottinger

Volkswagen e-Up 2013 Review

Sluggish electric-car sales may be history as Volkswagen enters the race with two new models.

The Golf and Up hatchbacks go electric for the Frankfurt motor show next month, claiming fuel costs over 100km of as little as $3.50.

But the e-Golf and e-Up, which could go into production for European markets as early as mid-2014, won't come to Australia.

Volkswagen will show production models at Frankfurt and say the e-Golf's will cost only $3.80 in electricity (Australian average costs) for each 100km, while the e-Up will cost about $3.50 for 100km.

Both Volkswagen hachbacks are based heavily on the existing models.

The company, in a statement, says: "Standard features (include) automatic climate control with parking heater and ventilation, radio-navigation system, windscreen heating, LED daytime running lights and, in the e-Golf, the Volkswagen brand's first use of

Volkswagen says the German Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development found that about 80 per cent of all car drivers in Germany drive fewer than 50km daily. For that reason, the electric cars will use quick charging stations.

More details will be announced by Volkswagen at the Frankfurt show and will be published here on Carsguide.

It's a well-known if shakily founded maxim that diabolical results come in threes. Last week, as the nation reeled from the Wallabies’ bottomless capacity to disappoint and the Socceroos’ wretchedness, we could but wonder what fresh hell awaited.

Fear not, as the above results numbly registered Carsguide took it upon itself to complete the hat trick, joyously losing the international E-Up Rally by getting across the line first.

The purpose of this eight nation tourney, held from and for 100km around Bensberg Castle near Cologne, is to introduce the lithium ion battery driven e-Up, which though it sounds like a Yorkshireman's oath is in fact the most efficient and indeed tolerable electric commuter car we've yet encountered. Fully chargeable from your wall socket in some six hours, it has a theoretical range of range of 150km.

DRIVING

After 40km of hyper-miling perspiration, however, Glenn Butler and I in the Aussie flag stamped e-Up were undone by boredom and humiliated at being overtaken by a Ford Ka. Boosting the aircon, we overtook the field, especially our cousins from land to the north with their interesting habit of braking hard on exiting a corner. We at least ascertained that the four seat commuter can drive efficiently at the speed limit. Hence, the organisers were unready when we lobbed over the line 45 minutes ahead of schedule. We in turn were bemused to be greeted by hundreds in a gala podium finish. Champagne and microphones were thrust at us.
Yet we came stone motherless eighth using 11.3 kilowatt hours for a score of 60. The winning Poms used barely seven and scored 260. Even so, we had somehow 44km range remaining after our 100. The Germans felt this the day's most impressive result, given we'd driven it as we would a conventional VW Up.

VERDICT

Which was our point. While the e-Up is but the remotest chance for our Australia, zero emission motoring is a real possibility the day government ceases profiting by car sales for a moment and grants EVs the concessions they are due. Then companies can talk seriously of running green vehicle fleets and privately owned public charging points will flourish as they do in in the first world.