Stéphane and his wife have owned a Volkswagen e-Up!, for a few weeks and more than 1,500 km on the date of the meeting with our journalist Max Freyss. If they appreciate this electric city car for daily trips mainly in town, they hope this summer to reach Normandy from Alsace.
Brief history of the model
Launched in 2013, the Volkswagen e-Up! borrows the basis of a petrol model that appeared a year earlier. ” Its Combo CCS connector has simply replaced the fuel cap behind the hatch located at the rear right of the vehicle “Stéphane points out. The electric city car was relatively quickly declined in Seat Mii Electric and in the ephemeral Skoda Citigo e iV.
Six years later, for a range increased from 141 km NEDC to 260 km WLTP, it benefited from a major upgrade of the lithium-ion battery (168 cells divided into 14 modules). Its useful energy capacity then more than doubled: 32.3 against 16 kWh (36.8 against 18.7 kWh in gross capacity). At the same time, the on-board AC charger has been increased from 3.7 to 7.4 kW.
The small size of this electric car does not prevent it from being able to sample DC fast stations as standard, but with a power of at best 40 kW. ” Recharging between 20 and 80% is done in less than an hour. What is interesting when you do more kilometers, when you go on a trip “, underlines our reader.
Until 2025?
The e-Up! is driven by the front wheels with a 61 kW (83 hp) engine which develops a torque of 212 Nm. Enough to quickly reach 100 km/h in 11.9 seconds, before flirting with the maximum speed of 130 km/h . Many times the future of the 5-door, 4-seater city car has darkened. However, it seems well on its way to lasting until 2025, while awaiting succession in the ID family.
Available in Business, Life and Style finishes starting respectively at 25,400, 26,750 and 28,250 euros (prices as of July 1, 2022, excluding bonuses of 6,000 euros to be deducted), it is formidable in terms of ease of driving. Particularly in town where its turning circle of 9.80 m makes parking maneuvers easier. This is why the e-Up! will satisfy all types of drivers, from young license holders to couples whose children have grown up and become independent.
If he appreciates the daytime running lights in the shape of C ” on the front bumper of the e-Up!, Stéphane finds that their association with slightly yellow dipped headlights ” is not super aesthetic: it would have taken Full Led ».
A model in stock
Registered for the first time in May 2022, the “ Mini Up », as it is affectionately named in Stéphane’s family, is a model that was in stock and available when it was purchased.
This is why our reader did not really have the choice on its presentation and its finish. He thus received a copy dressed in Tungsten gray metallic, an option at 600 euros according to the online catalog. The machine is based on 15-inch Blade alloy wheels fitted as standard with the Life finish.
Our interviewee does not specify to Max Freyss this level of presentation, but we guess it by also taking into account the door handles matching the color of the bodywork, the dark-tinted rear windows, the reversing camera and the cruise control. Hence the Fusion cloth upholstery in Titanium Black and Ceramic, sandwiched with black carpet and light gray headliner.
Space on board
With a footprint of 3,600 x 1,645 m, for a height of 1,492 m, its 251-litre trunk appears a bit sparse. ” It may not be very big, but it is enough to store groceries. There is a double bottom that can accommodate the charging cables supplied as standard », Comments Stephane. By condemning the rear seats, the total loading volume extends to 959 l.
« The space in the front is quite correct, with 2 seats which are adjustable, in particular in height. The steering wheel can also raise or lower. A slightly tall person, like me, can thus find his good driving position. “, he believes. ” Regarding the rear, you should know that there are only 2 places. We have 2 children, 18 and 16 years old. For the urban journeys that we can make, it does not really pose a problem of space “, he assures.
« This compactness is what we were looking for: a city car, easy to handle in town, since that is its main use for us. Replacing a Renault Clio diesel, it does the job perfectly », Appreciates our reader.
Bought without trying it
Now the most used in the home, the Volkswagen e-Up! by Stéphane cost 21,000 euros, bonus deducted. ” It was rather my wife who pushed for us to go electric. Personally, what made me change my mind was seeing the rise in fuel prices in January. A full tank was already costing me 80 to 90 euros on my diesel Clio. And then at one point it was over 100 euros “, he admits.
Before opting for the German city car, other electric cars had been considered by the couple. Thus the Peugeot e-208: “ much more expensive “. And the Dacia Spring: “ We gave up because of the delivery deadline for next fall, the lower trim level, and the limited 30-minute test drive. What do you want to try in 30 minutes, it’s ridiculous!? We are not going to let go of 15,000 euros over 30 minutes ».
Our reader recognizes, however, with humor, not having tried the e-Up at all! before opting for it. ” Thanks to the Passat, we already knew the Volkswagen universe which we like very much. And Deutsch Qualität… “, he justifies.
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Find the right modes
A classic handbrake, a gear lever like on an automatic thermal car, very aesthetic needle dials, a graduated energy gauge like a fuel tank, and a Neiman start date the Volkswagen e-Up! and betray its adaptation to electric from a petrol model. Without being shocking, this is what is immediately noticeable by taking a seat at the wheel.
« There are 5 regeneration modes, with D for Drive and increasingly powerful settings D1, D2, D3, plus position B. We always use the latter, which brings us almost to a standstill complete vehicle without touching the brake pedal, if you anticipate enough in town “, explains Stéphane.
« There are 3 driving modes: Normal, Eco and Eco+. With the first one has the 83 hairs of engine power fully available. In Eco, it is reduced to around 68 hp. It is more so with the Eco+ which also cuts the air conditioning in the summer and the heating in the winter. As a general rule, in town, except during a heat wave, you drive in Eco+ because you barely feel the loss of power “, he continues.
It should be noted that, in the event of an emergency, it is possible to regain all the vivacity of the engine by fully pressing the accelerator.
From Alsace to Normandy
In the first weeks of its purchase, the Mini Up was mainly used for urban trips and a little peri-urban.
« It serves us for our daily journeys, such as shopping, taking the children to the right and left, visiting the family. But this summer, we have planned, my wife and I, to go on vacation both to Normandy with it. It’s going to be a bit of an adventure, because so far we’ve recharged in our garage equipped with a standard 16 A socket or at the terminals offered by Lidl and Leroy Merlin. », Apprehends Stéphane a little.
« For DC chargers, it’s going to be a bit of a discovery, even if we did a test once. But I find it exciting. We do not travel the same way in an electric vehicle as in a thermal model. If we are in the spirit of arriving as quickly as possible, the e-Up! is not the EV to consider “, he warns.
He admits to being thrilled with driving this car, which has no gear changes, unlike the DS7 gearbox used by his wife and whose jerks he feels. ” It’s completely fluid, it’s linear. I love this flexibility “, he reports.
No tablet
The Volkswagen e-Up! does not have a touch pad. A claw at the top and in the center of the dashboard invites you to use your personal smartphone instead.
This is one of the very rare faults pointed out by Stéphane: ” The phone format is less practical than the tablet. Sometimes the connection with the infotainment system is not always easy to achieve. But when it’s done, it is possible to access a GPS map, and at the battery level which is blue when I consume and turns green when I regenerate. You can program the recharge, with a start time and a limit, for example 80% ».
Regarding autonomy, he estimates that the German electric city car could go in town up to the 320 km announced after a 100% recharge. For comparison, the manufacturer communicates on 354 km WLTP in these conditions and for this specific model taking into account its endowment – in particular the rims -, and 258 km in the combined cycle.
And for drinks? Our reader noted 10 kWh/100 km in the city. And 14 kWh/100 km while driving on expressways and motorways, which would then reduce the range to around 220 km.
Driving aids
If the Volkswagen e-Up! embeds various driving assistance systems as standard, they are not necessarily very advanced. Thus the help to stay in the lane ” which makes small safety corrections in case of inattention, with a certain ping-pong effect “, describes Stéphane.
As he explains to us, you shouldn’t count on a speed limiter: ” It’s more of a warning. Beyond the configured pace, there is a beep, but the device does not prevent going above. Also, the programmed speed is not displayed. We make it evolve with a long press on a button “, he illustrates. As for the regulator, it is not an active model.
On the other hand, our reader likes the feel of the steering wheel and the precision of the steering, which he describes as ” very pleasant “. What contributes for him to find reassuring » this electric car.
The entire Automobile Propre team would like to thank Stéphane for his welcome and his testimony.
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