Summary
The Volkswagen e-Up (styled as e-up!) had been around in the UK since 2014, undergoing a major update in 2019, before it was discontinued in 2022. It was developed from the mainstream Up range which is still available – regarded by many reviewers as the best small car on the market.
The e-Up arrived in early 2014, two years after the original petrol Up. Facelifted versions had a far more efficient drivetrain than earlier models. An 82hp motor was paired a 32kWh battery to produce an official range of 161 miles – further than the more recent Mini Electric and Honda e, both of which cost rather more than the Volkswagen.
Plus points included a charging socket where the fuel filler cap would normally be, a full recharge from a 7kW home wallbox taking around four hours. Reviewers pointed out the flaw in Volkswagen’s much trumpeted claim that a fast charger will add 80% to the battery in under an hour, as most rapid chargers are at motorway service areas and the e-Up was more likely to be employed around town than eating up motorway miles.
The e-Up was like many EVs; quiet and refined on the road, but for a small car its handling was considered ponderous. Reviewers did like the extensive regenerative braking options though, helping to put charge back into the battery.
Despite equipment including two-zone air-conditioning, heated seats and a rear-view camera, the £24K starting price of the e-Up! earned criticism. The fit and finish was highlighted as tired compared to more recent rivals. Instead of a proper infotainment system, drivers were expected to plug in their phone – the interior was not significantly updated in the decade the car was on sale.
After production stopped and started during 2020 and 2021 thanks to Covid-19 factory shutdowns and then supply shortages, the Volkswagen e-Up finally ended production in 2022.
No longer on sale, the Volkswagen e-Up has a Used Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 74%. That’s the same rating, although a point behind, the petrol version of the Up.
- Volkswagen Up! (petrol version) – Expert Rating
- More Volkswagen Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features
e-Up highlights
- Better battery range than some pricier rivals
- Refined and quiet on the road
- Generous rear-seat space and boot
- Sensible placement of charging socket
e-Up lowlights
- Expensive for a city car
- Modest equipment levels
- Uninspiring handling
- Now dated against newer rivals
Key specifications
Body style: Small five-door hatch
Powertrain: electric motor, battery-powered
Price when new: From £24,085 on-road
Launched: Winter 2013/14
Last updated: Winter 2019/20
Ended production: Summer 2022
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range review
Score: 7 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-up! is certainly more appealing given its vastly extended range.”
Read review
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“it won’t cost much to run, and makes sense for those who can charge it at home and at work. However, there’s little reason to buy one, simply because it’s extortionately expensive and has a frustratingly short range.”
Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“Usual EV flaws but a good all-round, alternative fuel city car.”
Read review
Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Its dimensions and electric powertrain make it useful around town and it’s not out of its depth on the motorway, either.”
Read review
Car Keys
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“When you compare it to cars that are on par price-wise, the Volkswagen e-up! doesn’t quite stack up. There are more practical offerings available and the range isn’t as good as other electric cars on offer. It’s a good effort, but there are areas for improvement in upcoming versions.”
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-up! is a well equipped and quick electric city car, but the price tag will put many people off.”
Read review
Carwow
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-Up is an all-electric version of the standard Up. It costs buttons to run and has decent performance in town. Alternatives have longer ranges, though.”
Read review
Daily Mirror
Model reviewed:
“The Volkswagen e-Up electric hatchback is expensive but may suit short-distance urban commuters.”
Read review
Discover EV
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-Up is one of the cars with the lowest cost of ownership in the market, but at the end of the day it’s based on a design from 2011. So your best bet is to spend an extra £4 to £6k and look at buying either the MG ZS EV, Mini Electric, Renault Zoe or Honda e, depending on your preference for handling, space, styling and range.”
Read review
Green Car Guide
Score: 7 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-up! is primarily designed as a city car and the electric range of this new model has proven to be completely sufficient for a week of city driving. It’s better to drive in a city than a petrol-engined equivalent, both for the driver, and for anyone breathing in emissions of passing cars.”
Read review
Honest John
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s easy to see why the Volkswagen Up works so well as an electric car. This is, after all, a car designed for city and urban use.”
Read review
Motors
Model reviewed:
Score: 6 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-Up! is pricey for what it is, and for most people, justifying the purchase of the electric version over its petrol counterpart is incredibly difficult. Even with the government’s electric car grant, you are looking at spending almost double what you would for a base petrol engine.”
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“Appealing electric city car now has a longer range.”
Read review
The Sun
Model reviewed:
“Great car, but faces a stiff challenge being so much more expensive than the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe.”
Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“Wonderful fun to drive and very well packaged, but too expensive and still not a viable only car for most people.”
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Volkswagen e-Up! is a superb, gimmick-free electric car. Try this before you go for that ID3.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 3 stars
Date tested: December 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 81%
Child protection: 83%
Vulnerable road users: 46%
Safety assist: 55%
Notes on safety
The Volkswagen e-Up shares its safety rating with the rest of the Up range, which is not always the case for an electric model. The Up was initially given a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP when it was first assessed, which was way back in 2011. However, it was reassessed in 2019 and downgraded to a three-star rating. Testers highlighted marginal chest protection in some tests, and that autonomous emergency braking was not a standard feature on the Up!
In summary, the e-Up still provides competitive protection in the event of an accident, but it no longer meets the highest standards for avoiding an accident in the first place.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
The Volkswagen e-Up was not lab tested by Green NCAP during its production life.
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of January 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Volkswagen e-Up to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the e-Up, we’ll publish the score here.
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 159 miles | C | 159 – 159 miles | C – C |
Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
EV models | 6.3 m/KWh | A | 4.9 – 8.3 m/KWh | A – A |
Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
All models | 10 | A | 10 – 10 | A – A |
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Volkswagen e-Up has received
2016
- Next Green Car Awards – Best City Car
2013
- Next Green Car Awards – Next Generation Award
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Volkswagen e-Up, you might also be interested in these alternatives
BMW i3 | Fiat 500 Electric | Honda e | Mini Electric | Peugeot e-208 | Renault Zoe | SEAT Mii Electric | Smart EQ Fortwo | Smart EQ Forfour | Vauxhall Corsa-e
The rapidly expanding electric car market is changing almost monthly, but is still relatively small compared to the number of petrol and diesel models available. That means that there are fewer direct competitors but a variety of different cars for a given price point. Of the cars listed above, few are genuinely similar to the Volkswagen e-Up in terms of size and specification, but all are trying to fill a similar role for urban driving.
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