Volkswagen E-Up Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show

For its debut into the electric car segment, Volkswagen created the E-Up Concept. It will be launched at the end of 2010. Charging the 18kW batteries can be done in five hours and gives a range of 80 miles. A specially designed crash structure is effective at protecting the batteries in the concept car.

To keep it cool, a series of heat exchangers were installed. Because the electric system is compact, more space is freed up for the passengers. The E-Up weighs only 1085kg while the batteries alone weigh 240kg. Solar panels that are sized 1.4 square meters help to power the system. While the Up is shorter than a Fiat 500, it has the same wheelbase, with minimal front and rear overhangs. The car has a three-plus-one seating arrangement, allowing two adults to sit on the passenger’s side and a child to sit behind the driver. The total load space is 80 liters, rising to 320 liters when the seats are folded. Photo gallery after the jump!