VW to unveil diesel-electric Twin-Up! in Tokyo

Fri, 08 Nov 2013

We've received multiple reports that Volkswagen will be bringing a diesel-electric concept to the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, set to take place later this month. The car, called the Twin-Up!, is based on the Up! city car, with some sources claiming this is a thinly veiled concept that will eventually enter production.

According to Automotive News Europe, the Twin-Up! will reportedly return 214 miles per gallon on the US cycle by combining an 800-cc, two-cylinder diesel and an electric motor. It will also boast plug-in capabilities, and will be able to cover 30 miles on electric power alone.

Autocar has a more complete picture of the Twin-Up!'s powertrain, though, claiming it's a modified version of the hybrid system found in the Volkswagen XL1. The Twin-Up! will get a more potent, 47-horsepower electric motor to the XL1's 27-hp unit, but will retain that car's 47-hp turbodiesel. The battery pack will also grow, from 5.5 kilowatt hours to 8.6 kWh. Both of these increases are necessary due to the increased weight of the Twin-Up! – it's some 900 pounds heavier than an XL1.

Despite the weight gain, the Twin-Up! should still feel spritely in dense, urban settings. It'll hit 62 mph in a leisurely 15.7 seconds, but will reach 37 mph – a reasonable city speed – in 8.8 seconds. The top speed is 99 mph.

We'll have much more on the Twin-Up! when it makes its debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show on November 20. Until then, be sure to check back as more info leaks out in the coming weeks.

By Brandon Turkus