We mentioned last night that VW was going to unveil a new variation of the up! concept vehicle.
Well here it is. The new VW Space up! blue concept. the Space up! blue is a full zero emissions car and features the worlds first high temperature fuel cell. The new up! is the ideal city commuter car. When driven on full electric power, a range of up to 65 miles is possible. When combined with the fuel cell, a range of 220 miles is possible on one charge.
Also new to the up! is a solar panel which recharges the 12 lithium-ion batteries. It supplies a 150 Watts of energy. The new high temperature fuel cell is entirely new and was developed in house at Volkswagen in Germany. One of the key advantages is the lower weight and lower price. Thus making a turning point in the future of fuel cell development and mass production.
The overall size of the Space up! blue makes for an ideal city car that can seat four. Overall length is just 144.9 inches, width 64.2 inches, and a height of just 61.8 inches. The engine is housed in the rear of the car, with the batteries under the rear seat. Just like the classic air cooled beetle. The styling of the Space up! blue is totally California. One quick glance and you spot the references to the classic micro bus of the 60s. With the skylight windows in the roof
After seeing all three variants of the up! come on to the scene in that last month or so. I have to say that I think we will definitely see this car in production at some point in the next few years. Especially for VW to develop 3 concepts so quickly.
PRESS RELEASE:
To the Point: The space up! blue Clean Drive Revolution "Made in Germany"
Volkswagen presents the first car in the world with high-temperature fuel cell space up! blue covers downtown distances with pure battery drive
Wolfsburg / Los Angeles, November 2007.
Powertrain revolution in California: Volkwagen is presenting the space up! blue concept car at the Los Angeles Auto Show (November 14 to 25) as a world exclusive – a compact, self-confident zero emissions van in the style of the legendary Volkswagen Samba Bus. On board: the world's first high temperature fuel cell and an array of twelve lithium-ion batteries. When the electric motor (45 kW / 61 PS) of the space up! blue is driven exclusively by battery, a range of 65 miles is possible – enough to handle nearly all distances in downtown areas. In the scenario of tomorrow's world, the four-seat Volkswagen is advancing to become the ideal vehicle for anyone who wants to drive – completely emissions-free – to work, recreation, school or university or just shopping.
Energy is "refueled" either via an electrical outlet or by the Volkswagen high-temperature fuel cell. In the latter case, the car's range is extended an additional 155 miles. This makes it possible to drive up to 220 miles on a single "energy charge". Aside from this, the microvan utilizes another energy source: the sun. And indeed with a large solar panel on the roof. It supplies up to 150 Watt of energy that is also fed into the battery.
With its new high temperature fuel cell (HT-FC) Volkswagen is introducing a system that represents a turning point in research on fuel cells for mass production. That is because, the HTFC offers crucial advantages compared to all other fuel cell systems: considerably lower weight, significantly greater everyday utility, substantially lower price, and therefore clearly the better chances of becoming a reality someday as a mass produced technology. The high temperature fuel cell was developed at a dedicated research center founded by Volkswagen in Germany.
With its concept car being shown in Los Angeles, Europe's most successful car producer is introducing the third variant of its "New Small Family" within just two months. Like the city specialist, the up!, already introduced at the IAA in Frankfurt, and the space up! presented in Tokyo, the space up! blue is a small space wonder too. Over a length of just 144.9 inches, a height of 61.8 inches and a width of 64.2 inches, it offers the space of a considerably larger vehicle. The clever space concept of the space up! blue – which is 1,090 kilograms "light" despite the fuel cell and batteries – is largely due to the layout of the powertrain. Its emissions-free electric motor operates – as did the engines of the Beetle and the Bulli (Microbus) at one time – in the rear. Also housed in the rear, under the rear seat to be exact, are the lithium-ion batteries. The high temperature fuel cell, on the other hand, is located at the front of the car. 
VW has been pretty tight lipped about the fate of the VW Beetle come 2010 when the New Beetle is due for a major overhaul. We do know that the powers that be in Wolfsburg have said there will be a replacement car to carry on the legacy and name of the Beetle. These pictures come to us from German rag AutoZeitung.
