- Third Volkswagen Up! concept following the original Up! in Frankfurt and the Space Up! in Tokyo.
- Roof-mounted skylights recall VW Samba Bus, so does its 0-60 time of 13.7 seconds and top speed of 75 mph.
- 60-hp electric motor, 65 mile range on lithium-ion battery plus 155 more on fuel cell
- Weighs under 2400 lb even with batteries (which are mounted under the rear seat) and fuel cell (which is in the front of the car)
- The world's first high-temperature fuel-cell eliminates the need for complex cooling systems.
Volkswagen says: "...the space up! blue concept car could already handle average daily driving distances in pure battery mode - without a fuel cell. The high-temperature fuel cell, meanwhile, could enable completely emission-free driving over long distances."
We say: It's cute, just like the first two Up! concepts, but this one is a little too far out. That range of 155 miles on the fuel cell is all well and good, except that the fuel cell can deliver only 12 kW of power, or 16 hp. When was the last time you took a 155-mile road trip in a car with less power than a lawn tractor?