At next week’s Geneva International Motor Show, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles will be showing a transporter concept vehicle it calls the e-Co-Motion.

This concept is said by Volkswagen to be rated at 800 kilograms (1764 pounds) of payload while offering the benefit of zero emissions thanks to an electric drive system.

“Electric mobility – especially in light commercial vehicles – could play a crucial role in meeting the growing transport needs of the world’s megacities,” explains Dr. Eckhard Scholz, Speaker of the Brand Board of Management.  “Freight trains and conventional or hybrid-powered high capacity lorries would deliver goods up to the city limits.  Then, at transfer stations, smaller electric delivery vans would take over.  Their predictable travel routes and fixed depots would simplify battery charging and equipment maintenance.”

Designed from the ground up to be powered by an electric drive, the e-Co-Motion is said by Volkswagen to offer many essential European commercial vehicle properties: high maneuverability with a small vehicle footprint, very good visibility and seating ergonomics with easy entry, exit and walk-through.

Also, a low cargo floor height and large cargo capacity make loading easier.

The concept vehicle offers a maximum cargo capacity of 4.6 cubic meter (162.45 cubic foot) and 800 kg (1764 pounds) of payload.  This was enabled by clear partitioning of the vehicle body into a lower driving-relevant zone containing a drive unit located under the floor, with battery and gearbox; and an upper superstructure that is specific to delivery tasks.

This, according to Volkswagen, generates ideal conditions for maximum space utilization, and all sorts of body versions and customer solutions are imaginable.

The vehicle can eventually be setup as a driver’s cab in front of a cargo box, as in the concept vehicle, or a passenger shuttle, low platform or refrigerated box, depending on the customer’s needs.

We can already see some wishing for a Westfalia camping version, with pop-up top an all.

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The company said it is working intently to electrify the drivetrain using plug-in hybrid technology.

To demonstrate this, the brand with the four rings is showing the Audi A3 e-tron at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

The close to reality concept car has a total of 204 horsepower of drivetrain power. In Audi’s words: “sporty performance is guaranteed.”

Audi said the A3 e-tron is “a true Audi”. The company supports this claim by saying the A3 e-tron sprints from 0 to 100 kilometer per hour (62.14 mph) in 7.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 222 kilometer per hour (137.94 mph).

According to the ECE standard for plug-in hybrid automobiles, the five-door model consumes on average just 1.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (156.81 US mpg). In pure electric mode, the Audi A3 e-tron reaches a top speed of 130 kilometer per hour (80.78 mph) and has a maximum range of 50 kilometers (31.07 miles).

The combustion engine is a modified 1.4 TFSI producing 150 horsepower. A clutch links the TFSI engine to an electric motor with an output of 75 kilowatt. The disc-shaped electric motor is integrated into a newly designed six-speed e-S tronic, which transfers the power to the front wheels.

The electric motor delivers its peak torque from start to around 2000 rpm, and the TFSI’s maximum pulling power is available in a range from 1,750 to 4,000 rpm.

Audi said the A3 e-tron can be driven with just the combustion engine, just the electric drive or in hybrid mode. The driver can choose to have both electric and combustion engine active at the same time, for a “boosting” effect; when the driver lets go of the accelerator, they both deactivate temporarily (“gliding”). In this way motor braking torque is eliminated and efficiency increases.

At the Geneva Motor Show, the Audi A3 e-tron will provide a realistic glimpse into the way Audi sees the future of mobility.

The German company stated that the electrification of the drivetrain, above all using plug-in technology, plays a deciding role in the strategy of the brand.

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