THE telephone lines between Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg HQ and its UK base must have been buzzing when the German firm unveiled the name for its small electric car.

Clearly keen not to join the list of daft-named cars — think Isuzu Big Horn, Toyota Deliboy and Mitsubishi Lettuce — one of the first details the press information imparts on the e-up! was that people in Yorkshire do not, in fact, say eey-up but ay-up.

Name apart, the e-up! has a number of qualities that might well appeal to those folk up North famously known for being careful with their cash.

So for starters that means no petrol bill, no vehicle excise licence to pay and no emissions.

Possibly the most remarkable aspect of the electrically-powered up! is that it looks, and more importantly feels, just like the petrol-powered compact city car. So there is the same amount of cabin space and, thanks to clever storage of the 230kg battery in the car’s floor, there is similar boot space to the petrol car.

While the standard up! is equipped with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, the e-up! has a compact AC electric motor which actually produces more power than the petrol version. And it is much quieter.

The 82 horsepower motor, powered by a 204-cell, lithium-ion battery pack, is linked to the front wheels via a single-speed gearbox – and boy is it nippy.

My wife, who took the five-door, four-seater for a spin, welcomed the on-board computer’s ability to display a large digital speedometer read-out, as she found the combination of eager power and a quiet ride meant she was travelling somewhat faster than intended.

The e-up! is a pricey vehicle and comes in just one trim level, based on the top-of-the-range High up!

Oxford Mail:

  • The smart interior

As such it features Volkswagen’s ‘Maps & More’ mobile Personal Infotainment Device but with added functionality, including a range display, pre-programming feature to warm the car before use and online services designed specifically for electric cars.

Extra features on the e-up! over the High up! also include an electronic climate control system, DAB digital radio and heated front windscreen.

Electronic systems range from anti-lock braking to city emergency braking.

Volkswagen says that, depending on the driving style, charge level and ambient conditions, the e-up! has a range of up to 100 miles, though my experience of the car puts that range more realistically at about 80 miles.

Charging can be done either using a standard three-pin plug with a full charge, costing about £3, in nine hours, or a fast charge, using a purpose-built charging station to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.

All in all, the e-up! is a reight champion little car, as they might say in Yorkshire.

At a glance

Insurance group: 10E (1-50)

Power output: 82PS

0-62mph acceleration: 12.4 seconds

Top speed: 81mph

Length: 354cm/139.4in

Width: 164cm/64.6in

Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles; e-components 5 years; battery eight years/99,360 miles

NEXT WEEK: David Duffy takes to the road in a rather grand Citroën