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2012 Volkswagen E-Bugster Concept news, pictures, and information | ||
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E-BUGSTER CONCEPT MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT 2012 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
Two-seater concept blends iconic Beetle styling wîth zero-emissions motoring• Latest addition to the Blue-e-motion™ family of concept cars
• Powered by a 114-horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery
• Low roofline and unique styling make E-Bugster stand out
Herndon, VA - Volkswagen's iconic Beetle has been redefined for the 21st century. Now, it has been further reinvented as a concept car for the future: the pure electric E-Bugster.
What's in a Name?
The name 'E-Bugster' is a combination of 'E' for electric, 'Bug,' the American nickname for the Beetle, and 'speedster,' which typically describes an open-top two-seater. Although the E-Bugster concept is clearly not a convertible, it sports the typical speedster profile of shallow windows and a low, dramatic roofline.
Blue-e-motion for a Cleaner Future
At the electric heart of the E-Bugster is an electric motor that makes 114 horsepower (85 kW) and 199 pound-feet of torque. A lithium-ion battery enables the car to go more than 100 miles in zero emissions driving. Stored under the trunk floor and the rear bench, the battery weighs 695 pounds. The battery is recharged via a plug interface located underneath the hood's VW logo and can accommodate all three types of available chargers: Level 1 (120V), Level 2 (240V), and, where available, Level 3 (quick charge, 80 percent charge in 30 minutes). Holistically, Volkswagen calls the electric drive unit used in the E-Bugster 'Blue-e-motion,' and it will be found in future products such as the Golf Blue-e-Motion.
Únique DesignIn addition to being a study in pure-electric mobility, the E-Bugster is also a dynamic study in Beetle design. Úp front, the E-Bugster's flat and wide windshield is distinctive. The E-Bugster utilizes LED Daytime Running Lights, just like the production Beetle, except that here they form a distinctive graphic on either side of the lower air intake in the front bumper. This LED graphic is mirrored by reflectors in the rear bumper. Ever since the e-up! concept car was presented in Europe, these unique DRLs have become a signature element on Volkswagen electric vehicle studies.
From the side, the E-Bugster's low, flat roof serves to frame the rest of the vehicle's distinctive features. Between its flared fenders and 20-inch wheels, there's a distinctive Beetle 'V' that runs along the side of the vehicle. Above its side sill, a decal wîth the 'E-Bugster' signature can be seen. Just above this point, the chrome has been lengthened from the lower window border towards the rear of the car. The top of the E-Bugster extends in a flat arch over this chrome line and borders the vehicle's side windows. The height between the chrome lower edge of these windows and the uppermost roof line is tight, like a chopped-down speedster. Overall, the Bugster is nearly three inches lower than a Beetle.
EV-specific instrumentation
A unique exterior look isn't all that sets the E-Bugster apart from the production Beetle; it also sports EV-specific gauges inside. The traditional tachometer has been replaced wîth an energy consumption display that fluctuates wîth vehicle acceleration. Other instrumentation includes a driving range indicator, a display showing the battery's charge state, and a display that shows the driver the intensity of battery regeneration.
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen's operations in the Únited States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent Ú.S. dealers.Source - Volkswagen
Asian premiere of the E-Bugster – an electrified Beetle!
• Beetle concept car is powered by an 85 kW E-motor • Zero emissions vehicle was conceptualised as two-seat speedster
Wolfsburg / Beijing, 21 April 2012 - The Beetle! – it is the successor to an automotive icon. The new car is considered the sportiest Beetle ever. Now Volkswagen is showing, in an Asian premiere at Auto China in Beijing, how this sportiness can also be transferred to a Beetle wîth pure electric drive. The E-Bugster was specially designed for this mission: a two-seat Beetle speedster, 85 kW in power, 0 to 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds, wîth zero emissions yet the sharpest of proportions.
Blue-e-Motion for a clean future
The central electric module of the E-Bugster has an innovative design; it weighs just 80 kg. The energy for powering the electric motor is stored in a lithium-ion battery whose modules are housed in a space-saving location behind the front seats. The battery's energy capacity of 28.3 kWh enables a range of at least 180 km in the urban world. And even in an enormous country like China, for the majority of commuters this is sufficient to drive to their workplaces and return home. Since the Volkswagen has a quick charging function, the battery can be 'refuelled' within 35 minutes at suitable charging stations. At home, the battery of the E-Bugster can also be charged from a conventional electric outlet. The interface for the charge cable is located behind the normal 'fuel door' near the C-pillar. Thanks to a new Combined Charging System, the E-Bugster can be 'filled up' flexibly via one interface using any available charging modalities. Possible are:
Single-phase charging wîth AC current
Últra-fast DC charging at charging stations (quick charge)
This will be based on a new, uniform standard for the connectors of future electric vehicles that will be available to all manufacturers. And this standardisation goes beyond the plug itself: in the Combined Charging System, the charge controller and the electrical architecture must be able to handle all charging types. This will reduce costs and simplify widespread global implementation of electric mobility.Charging the battery while braking
Just how much energy the driver of the E-Bugster is requesting wîth the 'electric pedal' at any moment is shown in a power display. Instruments also include a driving range indicator and a display showing the battery's charge state. Also new in the Beetle is an instrument that shows the driver the intensity of battery regeneration. Regeneration refers to the recovery of braking energy: as soon as the driver's foot leaves the accelerator pedal and/or brakes, kinetic energy is converted into electricity, which is stored in the battery. This increases the driving range of the E-Bugster. By the way, Volkswagen calls the complete electric drive unit Blue-e-Motion.Visions become versions
Bugster? That sounds familiar. Of course: Ragster! That was in January 2005 in Detroit, where Volkswagen presented a New Beetle as a speedster wîth a swept-back ragtop (folding roof) – the Ragster. A design vision for the Beetle of tomorrow – wider, lower, sportier. In 2005, the slogan for the concept's feasibility was expressed as: 'Everything is conceivable!' In 2012, it had advanced to: 'Everything is feasible!' Because the idea of the Ragster – wider, lower, sportier – became a reality (with the exception of the ragtop) in October 2011 in the current production Beetle. So, what does the name E-Bugster actually signify? That is easy to explain: a combination of the 'E' for electric models, the American nickname for the Beetle, 'Bug' and the vehicle type 'speedster' that describes a low, open-top two-seater. Proportions of a sports car
 | Vital Stats |
| Engine : Power: 114 hp Torque: 199 ft-lbs | |
Bugster front and rear
In front, it is the swept-back and wide windscreen that catches the eye; its glass extends laterally to a point above the A-pillars. The E-Bugster, which is equipped wîth LED headlights, is also distinguished by the highly customized bumpers of the production Beetle: designers integrated the daytime running lights to the left and right of the central air intake as bands of LED lights in a C-shape (naturally mirrored on the right side). Ever since the e-up! concept car was presented in Europe, this form of daytime running light has been a feature on Volkswagen electric vehicle studies. These styling elements also appear in modified form as reflectors in the rear bumper, which was also redesigned. The rear windscreen of the E-Bugster proves that the rear windows of a speedster do not need to restrict visibility like the arrow slits in castle walls: it is extremely wide.
Speedster side profile
A speedster needs swept-back windows and a low roof, and the E-Bugster has them. First, let us survey the car's profile. The wheels beneath the flared wheel housings are 20-inch versions of the 18-inch Beetle 'Twister' wheels, equipped wîth 235/35 R 20 tyres. From the side sill, the viewer's gaze moves upwards over the large, smooth continuous surface of the door and the contour line above the door handle that looks as though it were carved wîth a knife. Just a few centimetres above this point, the Beetle becomes a speedster: designers lengthened the chrome strip of the lower window border towards the rear; it now runs (as it did on the New Beetle Cabriolet) once around the car, from A-pillar to A-pillar. The hard top of the 'Bug' extends in a low arc above this chrome line. Following the roof radius – in classic speedster style – is the upper border of the side windows. The height between the chrome lower window border and the uppermost roof line is a low 400 mm. And that is how it should be for a speedster!
Progressive interior
The combination of high-tech equipment and dynamic performance is also reflected in the interior. Sport seats and a continuous centre tunnel in body colour underscore the sportiness of the E-Bugster. The use of aluminium as the material for the door handles and belt guides, and the lightweight construction styling of the §teering wheel also produce a direct connection between the exterior and interior. Starting the E-Bugster is a unique experience: the Start button not only activates the drive system; it also puts a light show into motion: first, the interior is immersed in a white light, then a blue light. It begins as a light pulse in the instrument cluster; from there the light emanates as a thin line of light, just one millimetre wide, coursing into the door window sills and around the air nozzles – a kind of visual awakening of the E-Bugster.Source - Volkswagen
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