The idea is simple: take the regular up!, rip out the petrol engine, fit an electric powertrain instead, add some finicky cosmetic details to denote its eco-credibility and voila, you get the e-up!
The electric city car has only been around since 2014 so two years seems hasty for a mid-life facelift. However, it’s more down to the fact that the conventional petrol version, which has been around for longer, has been facelifted. So the e-up!’s update is more to do with keeping the look of the range consistent than anything else.
That means changes to the e-up! are minimal, which isn’t a bad thing. It was already one of the best looking models on the city car block with VW’s ever-amiable design approach lending itself well to such compact dimensions.
You’d have to look close to spot the difference between the old model and this so we’d best point them out. The front bumpers are ‘beefier’ than before, with new c-signature LED running lights, while the rear has a more angular bumper, and a more prominent diffuser panel alongside a sharper tail light design.
Inside, there’s a leather-trimmed steering wheel and chrome trim on the interior door handles, air vent surrounds and instruments.
Performance is the same as before with its electric motor producing the equivalent of 80bhp to get it up to 62mph in a rather rubbish 12.4 seconds. We don’t expect GTI-like pace from a city car, especially an electric one, but that feels drawn-out compared to modern standards. VW describes it as ‘brisk’, we wouldn’t.
Speed eventually tops out at 80mph so only the brave or desperate would take this on a motorway. Not that you’d be able to go that far; its battery only carries enough power for up to 93 miles and that’s if you drive it in optimum conditions. Wind resistance, road type, conditions like temperature all have a say on the e-up’s maximum range.
Recharging the battery doesn’t have to take forever though. If you can get to a fast charger, the battery can be recharged to an 80 per cent of its capacity within half an hour. However, plug it into a standard wall socket at your home and you’ll be waiting nine hours until it is fully recharged. An overnight job that one…
Despite the e-up’s battery weighing 230kg, extensive weight saving measures from VW’s engineers make it lighter than its petrol siblings.
Price has crept up from £19,270 to £20,780 OTR with the government’s £4,500 plug-in car grant taken into account. It seems expensive yes, and stretching an extra £5k for a Nissan Leaf may be more appealing. However, it can be broken down to £275 monthly payments through VW’s PCP scheme, after a £900 deposit. Deliveries begin from October
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