Plug in, Bug out: VW unveils E-Bugster concept car at the Detroit Auto Show

Posted on 10 January 2012 by

Volkswagen rolled into the Motor City with something a little different this year—think of it as a time machine in the guise of a car. Unveiled at the North American International Auto Show, it’s a little something we call the E-Bugster, and it’s the latest addition to our Blue-e-motion™ line of concept cars. While its design lines hearken back to the classic Beetle era, it takes a future-forward leap with an all-electric motor and pumped-up, speedster styling.

At the heart of the E-Bugster is a 114-horsepower (85 kW) electric motor and a lithium-ion battery that enables the car to go more than 100 miles with zero emissions. Stored under the trunk floor and the rear bench, the battery weighs a mere 695 pounds—pretty light, considering all the power it’s producing. The battery is recharged via a plug interface located beneath the hood’s VW logo and can accommodate all three types of available chargers: Level 1 (120V), Level 2 (240V) and, where available, Level 3 (quick charge; 80 percent charge in 30 minutes).

Up front, the E-Bugster boasts a distinctive flat, wide. The E-Bugster features the same “C”-shaped LED daytime running lights offered on the production Beetle, mirrored as reflectors in the rear bumper. The front end is arched and stretched, like a chopped-down speedster; it’s three inches shorter than the production Beetle.

A unique exterior look isn’t all that sets the E-Bugster apart from the production Beetle; a peek inside reveals other differences. Traditional gauges are for traditional vehicles, and the E-Bugster is anything but. It features EV-specific gauges, like an energy consumption display that fluctuates with vehicle acceleration, a driving range indicator and a display that shows the battery’s charge state. There’s even a display that shows the level of battery regeneration, important for long road trips.

We know you can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the first-ever electric Beetle, but we’re afraid you’ll have to. Concept cars like the E-Bugster and the award-winning Bulli offer a glimpse into the future of the automotive world, and besides, good things come to those who wait. Even though you can’t drive it now, you can see it at the Detroit Auto Show, located on the main stage of the Volkswagen booth And be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for live updates from the show.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS: VOLKSWAGEN LEADS THE INDUSTRY WITH NINE 2011 “TOP SAFETY PICK” AWARDS FROM THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY

Posted on 01 November 2011 by

The Routan becomes the ninth VW to receive the IIHS’s coveted TOP SAFETY PICK award.

HERNDON, Va. — The Routan is the latest Volkswagen to earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK rating for 2011, the highest possible from the non-profit safety research organization. This means that Volkswagen now has no fewer than nine TOP SAFETY PICKS, giving the brand leadership in the U.S. industry.

The annual rating recognizes those vehicles that perform best in protecting passengers in the Institute’s front, side, and rear crash test evaluations, and the newly required roof-strength test evaluations. The Institute only awards TOP SAFETY PICK ratings to vehicles that are fitted with electronic stability control and head protection airbags.

The other 2011 Volkswagen models to receive the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK rating are: CC 2.0L TSI®, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, Tiguan, Touareg, and four-door Golf and GTI models.

“The Routan’s performance demonstrates Volkswagen’s ongoing commitment to safety,” said Institute president Adrian Lund. “Vehicles earning TOP SAFETY PICK status afford the best overall protection in the most common kinds of crashes, and have electronic stability control for avoiding many crashes altogether.”

“We’re delighted that the Routan has been given this prestigious award—and even more delighted that Volkswagen now has industry leadership with nine IIHS TOP SAFETY PICKS,” said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “It’s a great reward for the emphasis we place on safety in the development of our German-engineered vehicles.”

For more information, please visit www.vw.com, or media.vw.com.

About Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. All 2012 Volkswagen models come standard-equipped with Electronic Stability Control. This is important because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called ESC the most effective new vehicle safety technology since the safety belt. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.

Notes:

“TSI”, “VW”, “Volkswagen”, all model names and the Volkswagen logo are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG.