Words About Things

Like most automotive companies Volkswagen are looking to the future and designing electric vehicles. Unlike most Volkswagen already have a design classic under their belts in the form of the iconic Beetle. The Volkswagen eUp! (complete with unessential punctuation) owes a debt to the Beetle in terms of style and ambition.

The eUp! aims to have widespread appeal in order to become “the Beetle of the 21st century”. This should come as a surprise from a company whose name translates as ‘the people’s car’.  By the time the eUp! comes out in 2013 there should be quite a lot of competition in the electric car market although it may have the stats to make it stand out:

The range is expected to be up to 130 kilometers (80 miles) on an overnight 230-volt charge for the five hours when electricity is cheapest while you’re asleep. Charged in this way, the E-Up! could be driven 100 kilometres for just two Euros in electricity costs (about 14 Euro cents per kWh). This would be the equivalent of driving 62 miles on $2.97 worth of electricity at $0.20 cents a kwh (McMansion Californian electric rates), or about like buying gas for $1.50 in a 31 mpg car.    – gas2.org

The eUp! is the smallest VW to date at only 3.19 meters long and 1.64 meters wide. Hopefully this vehicle will lead to Volkswagen creating other, larger electric vehicles across their range. With van emissions being clamped down upon we need more electronic vans for sale.

Nissan has reveled it’s first mass production electric car called the Leaf. The Leaf is set for release in Europe, America and Japan in late 2010. It has a 100 mile range which Nissan’s chief executive Carlos Ghosn says will be plenty for 80% of drivers. The car comes as a 5 seater hatchback and is aimed at the family market.

Most mass production electric cars are actually hybrids which have a back-up petrol engine but the Leaf will be fully electronic. It is expected to reach speeds of up to 76mph and will charge via a normal plug socket. The Leaf’s electric motor generates up to 107 horsepower and takes about 8 hours to recharge.

The car will be exempt from road tax as it will have zero emissions. It is expected to coast around £13,000 although this will not include the cost of the battery which may be leased by Nissan. The ease of use of the car, which has no gear shift, will make it useful for city dwellers and for car hire.