<p>At a reception before the start of the show last evening, the company said the E-Up compact would likely go into production in 2013 and approach production levels of its other popular compact cars only by 2020.<br /><br />The company said the front wheel drive car's lithium ion battery will have 18 kilowatt hours energy capacity enabling a driving distance of around 130 kilometres, or about 80 miles, depending on driving style.<br /><br />"One of the basic milestones on this timeline is the mass produced electric car," Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement.<br /><br />He said only in high volumes and on all continents could one truly speak of the beginning of the electric age in automobiles and a perceptible reduction of their environmental impact.<br /><br />"The concept car now being presented in Frankfurt very realistically shows how we envision such a Volkswagen with pure electric drive _ technically, visually and with regard to a practical size," Winterkorn said.<br /><br />The company will also unveil other models that include more of its Blue Motion technology as well as new hybrid technology.</p>
<p>At a reception before the start of the show last evening, the company said the E-Up compact would likely go into production in 2013 and approach production levels of its other popular compact cars only by 2020.<br /><br />The company said the front wheel drive car's lithium ion battery will have 18 kilowatt hours energy capacity enabling a driving distance of around 130 kilometres, or about 80 miles, depending on driving style.<br /><br />"One of the basic milestones on this timeline is the mass produced electric car," Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement.<br /><br />He said only in high volumes and on all continents could one truly speak of the beginning of the electric age in automobiles and a perceptible reduction of their environmental impact.<br /><br />"The concept car now being presented in Frankfurt very realistically shows how we envision such a Volkswagen with pure electric drive _ technically, visually and with regard to a practical size," Winterkorn said.<br /><br />The company will also unveil other models that include more of its Blue Motion technology as well as new hybrid technology.</p>
