Volkswagen e-up! breaks cover

The wraps have come off the Volkswagen e-up! -- the German auto giant's first all-electric production car.

Shown at VW's annual press and investor conference in Wolfsburg, Germany, the e-up! will be a litmus test for the company, allowing it to gauge public acceptance of its first electric production car when it goes on sale later in the year.

Powered by a 60kW/210Nm electric motor, the e-up! has a similar quoted range to most current generation electric cars of 150km.

The car's 18.7kWh lithium-ion battery can be recharged to 80 per cent capacity in just 30 minutes, claims Volkswagen, while tweaks to the car's underbody and front end design have improve aerodynamics and contribute to the vehicle's cruising range.

The e-up! makes use of the VW Group's Combined Charging System or CCS, which supports AC and DC charging "so that drivers can easily charge their cars at most charging stations - regardless of the power sources or charging rates they they offer," states the car maker.

Volkswagen's "nearly zero noise" sub-compact weighs 1185kg and delivers reasonable performance for a sub-light car, with a top whack of 135km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint time of "within" 14 seconds.

Expected to go on sale in Europe from September after the car makes its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show, the Volkswagen e-up! is distinguished from combustion engine models by its 15-inch machine-polished alloy wheels, blue-hued VW logos and eye-catching slim-line LED driving lights that curve around the car's lower bumper.

The cabin has also been tizzied-up to reflect its electric status, with light-grey seat covers with blue stitching along with leather and chrome highlights.

In Australia the electric car 'revolution' is yet to eventuate. Pitiful sales of electric cars and the withdrawal of a major electric car infrastructure supplier, Better Place, has been a major blow to the electric car market in this country. The latter has even forced some car makers to cancel vehicle introductions, such as the Renault Fluence ZE.

Volkswagen Australia has previously said it is not interested in offering electric cars in Australia, and is sticking to that position. As Karl Gehling, General Manager Communications at Volkswagen Australia, told motoring.com.au: "We have no plans to offer the e-up! in Australia at this stage".