Volkswagen Milano Taxi buzzes in at Hanover
Its styling pays tribute to the 1950s Samba Bus, but VW's latest concept clothes a state-of-the-art electric powertrainVolkswagen has unveiled its pint-sized Milano Taxi Concept at the Hanover Trade Show.
Inspired by the Volkswagen Samba Bus of the 1950s, the Milano Taxi -- a futuristic inner-city commuter that pays tribute to traditional Milanese cabs via its green and black paintwork -- is an embodiment of all the cutting-edge hardware in VW's zero-emissions arsenal. Propulsion comes from an 85kW electric motor that draws its energy from a lithium-ion battery pack integrated with the car's underbody.
Measuring just 3720mm long, 1646mm wide and 1585mm high -- just the thing for narrow Italian lanes -- the Veedub concept weighs 1500kg, which isn't too lardy for an electric vehicle.
Volkswagen claims the Milano Taxi can cruise at up to 120km/h (which might be a tad slow for lead-footed Milanese cabbies) and travel 300km between charges. However, the real clincher is the fact that the lithium-ion batteries can be recharged to 80 per cent capacity in just over an hour.
Despite its ultra-diminutive proportions, the VW's clever packaging allegedly enables two passengers to be accommodated in comfort, while a glass-panel roof creates a bright, airy ambience.
Volkswagen claims rear legroom rivals that of luxury saloons, and there's even a decent-sized storage compartment in the front (adjacent to the driver's seat) to stash luggage.
Perhaps realising that swinging doors wouldn't be the most practical thing in the congestion of Milan's traffic, the concept features a large side door that both swivels and slides forward.
And to help passengers ensure they aren't taken for a ride by unscrupulous cabbies, they can view the route being taken on an LCD screen on the back of the driver's seat. The screen can also be used to pay the fare or set the climate functions in the back of the vehicle.
The driver has a similar screen that can be personalised to show information relating to the vehicle, fare or navigation.
The Milano Taxi's exterior styling is a neat amalgamation of 1950s cues and the current design language established by VW Group design boss Walter de Silva and VW's head of design, Klaus Bischoff.
VW says the Milano Taxi is purely a concept for now, but the company is pressing on with its objective to launch its first electric vehicle in 2013.
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