Revised Volkswagen e-up! wins City Car category in 2016 Next Green Car Awards.

• Revised e-up! wins City Car category in 2016 Next Green Car Awards
• Latest e-up! has new infotainment functionality and sharper styling
• Volkswagen e-up! is on sale now at £20,780 (RRP OTR, incl. government grant)

The Volkswagen e-up! has won the hotly contested City Car category in the Next Green Car Awards. 

Volkswagen’s popular up! family has been a consistent winner since its launch in 2011 and, following a refresh of the exterior and interior styling, plus an extensive redesign of the infotainment system, the awards keep on coming.

The refreshed e-up! went on sale in the UK in September.  It’s powered by an 82 PS electric motor that has a 204-cell lithium-ion battery pack located within the car’s floor.  It is rated at 374 volts, or 18.7 kWh. 

The important figure is the range: The e-up! can travel 93 miles between charges, and charging the e-up! to 80 per cent takes just 30 minutes via a fast-charge connection.

As well as its clever packaging and quick charging, the e-up! benefits from punchy acceleration thanks to the 210 Nm of torque from the electric motor.  The car can reach 62 mph in 12.4 seconds. These factors combine to mark out the e-up! as the perfect car for the urban environment.

The e-up! continues to push the boundaries of modern technology when it comes to connectivity.  The driver’s smartphone docks into the centre console to become an integral part of the driving experience and integrating seamlessly into the car’s infotainment system. 

The Volkswagen app, meanwhile, enables the driver to play music via the smartphone.  They can also access the navigation system and run Think Blue. Trainer, Volkswagen’s fun program that coaches the driver in efficient driving techniques.

The smartphone connection continues when the driver is out of the car.  Volkswagen’s Car-Net e-remote enables the driver to control the e-up!’s charging process remotely from their smartphone.  

They can also switch on the air conditioning before they get into the car, and can review their driving data and vehicle trip statistics.  A three-year subscription to this service is included with the e-up!

The award-winning Volkswagen is available exclusively as a five-door in pure electric form, and is loaded with equipment.  Included are 15-inch ‘Tezzle’ alloy wheels with low rolling resistance tyres.  

The glass is tinted from the B-pillar backwards, and the re-styled front bumper has trademark ‘C’ signature LED running lights.  The interior now features chromed door handles, air vent surrounds, speedo surrounds and light and heating switches.

The three-spoke steering wheel is trimmed in leather, as is the gear knob gaiter and handbrake grip.  The upper dashpad has a distinctive ‘Sharkskin’ pattern.  

The front lights will stay on for a short period of time, to enable the driver to see their way to their front door, while other standard-fit equipment items include cruise control and a dusk sensor that turns the driving lights on automatically – particularly useful through the winter months.  

Rear parking sensors further aid convenience, too.

The judges of the Next Green Car Awards were suitably impressed by the new e-up!: “Already one of the best city cars around, Volkswagen has made its e-up! even better with sharper looks and improved equipment.  

Fun to drive, cheap to run, and with zero tailpipe emissions, the little Volkswagen is an ideal urban runabout.”