Volkswagen e-Up! 36.8 kWh

Overview

The Volkswagen e-Up! 36.8 kWh was a cracking little electric city car, perfect for nipping around town. Though production ceased in 2023, it remains a popular choice on the pre-owned market, often found for around €10,999 in Europe. Its key strengths are its compact size, surprisingly practical interior for a small hatch, and a usable real-world range that makes urban commuting a breeze. It’s an honest, no-frills entry into electric motoring, offering that solid VW build quality in a pint-sized, eco-friendly package. A true urban warrior!

What's New for 2023?

For its final 2023 model year, the Volkswagen e-Up! 36.8 kWh didn't receive major overhauls, as it was bowing out of production in Slovakia. Instead, it carried forward the significant upgrades introduced in its 2020 refresh, primarily the much larger 32.3 kWh (usable) battery pack that transformed its range and usability. So, 2023 models represent the most refined version of this popular city EV, benefiting from several years of minor tweaks and the all-important battery boost, making it a strong contender on the used market for those seeking an efficient urban runabout.

Design & Exterior

The e-Up! 36.8 kWh keeps that classic, cheeky Up! city car charm but with subtle EV cues like a revised grille and distinctive badging. It’s compact and proud, measuring a city-friendly 3600 mm in length, a slim 1645 mm in width (excluding mirrors), and standing 1492 mm tall. It’s not about flashy looks, but its neat proportions and friendly face give it an endearing appeal. Standard models typically featured simple, clean wheel designs, fitting its practical, urban-focused persona. It’s a familiar shape that’s a doddle to park and manoeuvre.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Inside, the e-Up! 36.8 kWh is surprisingly spacious for its dinky dimensions, especially up front. The design is typically VW – functional, clear, and built to last, though with some harder plastics to keep costs down. It seats four, with rear space best for kids or short trips. Tech-wise, it’s fairly basic, often featuring a smartphone cradle ("Maps + More" dock) rather than a large central screen, but you usually get essentials like DAB radio and Bluetooth. Cargo is decent for a city car: 250 litres in the boot, expanding to a handy 923 litres with seats down. No dedicated frunk, though!

Performance & Driving Experience

This little e-Up! is quite the zippy performer around town! With its 61 kW Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) sending 210 Nm of instant torque to the front wheels (FWD), it scoots from 0-100 km/h in a respectable 11.9 seconds. Top speed is capped at 130 km/h, plenty for city and occasional motorway jaunts. The driving experience is all about agility and ease; it’s incredibly easy to park, and its light steering makes navigating tight urban streets a doddle. Ride comfort is generally good for a small car, and regenerative braking helps to eke out extra range.

Range, Battery & Charging

The heart of the e-Up! 36.8 kWh is its 32.3 kWh usable battery, delivering a Green Cars Compare calculated real-world range of around 224 km – pretty handy for city life! Efficiency is a strong suit at approximately 6.93 km/kWh. For charging, it packs a standard 7.2 kW AC on-board charger, meaning a full top-up from its 400V architecture takes around 5 hours. Out and about, it supports DC fast charging at up to 40 kW via its CCS Type 2 port, juicing it up to 80% in roughly an hour. No fancy V2L here, just straightforward electric motoring.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

The VW e-Up! scored a very respectable 5 stars in Euro NCAP safety tests (though tested under an older, less stringent protocol, it was still strong for its class). While it’s not brimming with the very latest advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard, it typically came equipped with essential safety kit. Features like lane keeping assist were often included, helping you stay on the straight and narrow. More sophisticated systems like adaptive cruise control weren't usually part of the package for this budget-friendly EV, keeping the focus on core safety and urban usability.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

As a discontinued model, new warranties don't apply, but when new, Volkswagen typically offered a 2-year/unlimited mileage vehicle warranty in Europe, with some markets possibly offering 3 years or a mileage cap. The crucial bit, the battery, usually came with an 8-year/160,000 km warranty, guaranteeing at least 70% of its original capacity. Maintenance on EVs like the e-Up! is generally minimal – no oil changes to worry about! Reliability is typically good for these simple electric powertrains, making it a sensible used buy if the battery health checks out.