Volkswagen to unveil electric car at Frankfurt Auto Show

German carmaker Volkswagen AG said it would unveil several new models at the Frankfurt Auto Show, including an electric car called the E-Up. At a reception before the start of the show last evening, the company said the E-Up compact would likely only go into production in 2013 and approach production levels of that of its other popular compact cars only by 2020.

The company said the front wheel drive car's lithium ion battery will have 18 kilowatt hours energy capacity enabling a driving distance of around 130 kilometres, or about 80 miles, depending on driving style.

"One of the basic milestones on this timeline is the mass produced electric car," Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement. He said only in high volumes and on all continents could one truly speak of the beginning of the electric age in automobiles and a perceptible reduction of their environmental impact.

"The concept car now being presented in Frankfurt very realistically shows how we envision such a Volkswagen with pure electric drive _ technically, visually and with regard to a practical size," Winterkorn said.

The company will also unveil other models that include more of its Blue Motion technology as well as new hybrid technology.