Volkswagen's electric vehicle E-Up will also be built as a van, the German manufacturer confirmed, just weeks after it rolled out the all-electric car model into its showrooms.
The E-Load Up van will use the same battery-powered drivetrain, Volkswagen said, as cited by Fleet News. The van is expected to be announced as a production vehicle at the IAA commercial vehicle show this September in Hanover.
The German company said that it is still in the process of researching the potential of electric-powered vans, said a factory official. It is clear that there is a need for such a commercial vehicle in the A-sector, he said.
The E-Load Up van is good news for companies working in big city locations where the usage is less than 100 miles and a main consideration of the business is access to the increasing number of zones with clean air.
Despite its tiny dimensions, the 3.54-metre long van has a load volume of over 1.4 cubic metres, with its lithium-ion battery said to provide a 100 miles range after nine hours of charging from a domestic power point. The installation of a wall-box charger can slash charging times to six hours, whilst fast-charge equipment can deliver an 80% charge in half an hour.
It is a small and light commercial vehicle, which will be inexpensive to maintain and is environmentally friendly, the Volkswagen official said.
As environmental considerations continue to affect the market, Volkswagen needs to offer the most suitable transportation solutions, said a spokesman of Volkswagen UK Commercial Vehicles.
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