Used Volkswagen e-Up for sale: everything you need to know

Small cars often spend much of their lives zipping around town, and that just happens to be where electric power makes the most sense too, so it’s no surprise that Volkswagen wasted little time in bringing the e-Up, an electric version of the Volkswagen Up city car, to market in 2013.

These early models had modest range but were just as stylish as the petrol variants, and in 2019 VW installed a bigger battery pack to keep pace with other small EVs of the time. The e-Up was expensive when new, but models just a few years old can be found for just half their original price - so now the e-Up makes even more sense as a zero-emissions city car.

The SEAT Mii Electric and Skoda Citigo E are effectively the same car as the e-Up with different badges, while other small battery-powered cars include the Mini Electric, Fiat 500 Electric, Smart EQ Forfour, the Honda E, and the Renault Zoe - the latter offering the longest range of the bunch.

Should you buy a Volkswagen e-Up?

If you regularly go further afield than your local area or the occasional longer weekend trip, the Volkswagen e-Up probably won’t be for you, even in its 2019-on longer range format. There are other, longer-range EVs that serve that purpose better, and indeed other, petrol-powered VW Ups.

But as a stylish town runabout or second car that won’t complain at a real-world 100-mile trip now and then, the e-Up makes a much stronger case for itself, with many of the benefits of the standard Up - not least its stylish modern looks, and a spacious cabin - along with a smooth drive and low running costs.

The battery pack makes the e-Up heavier than petrol versions but most people won’t notice a difference in the car’s ride and handling - in fact, it arguably rides a little better, helped by sensibly-sized 15-inch wheels. There’s enough grip, and the compact size and squared-off proportions make judging the car’s extremities pretty easy - with standard parking sensors and a reversing camera helping at low speeds.

The punchy torque of an electric motor means it feels peppy too - it’s the quickest Up this side of the turbocharged TSI and Up GTI. Even petrol Ups are refined by small car standards and the e-Up takes this even further. The modest battery sizes meanwhile ensure charging times are decent (five hours at 7.2kW at home, 10-80% rapid charge at 30kW in around 50 minutes) and shouldn’t cost much either.

For the same car with a different badge on the nose, the SEAT Mii Electric and Skoda Citigo E expand your choices beyond the Up, but there are several other small EVs to consider too - the MINI Electric and Fiat 500 Electric have retro style on their side, the Honda E has a retro-futuristic vibe (and a mad interior), and the Smart EQ Fortwo and Forfour give you two- and four-seat city car options, but both have quite low range. The Renault Zoe though is plentiful on the used market and some models offer up to 239 miles of WLTP range.

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What’s the best used Volkswagen e-Up model to buy?

The simple answer here is to look for a post-2019 car, or more specifically, any advertised as having the 32.3kWh (usually advertised as 32kWh) battery pack. While city-dwellers could probably get away with the smaller battery cars for the majority of trips, the larger pack simply makes the Up more usable for more people, more of the time. Equipment levels have remained consistent over time though, so older cars are actually nearly as well-equipped as later, bigger-battery models.

Used Volkswagen e-Up range and performance

• Volkswagen e-Up 18.7kWh: At launch in 2013 the e-Up was powered by an 82PS electric motor with electricity supplied from an 18.7kWh battery pack. With a 12.4-second 0-62mph time the e-Up was peppier than many of its petrol counterparts, but range on the old NEDC cycle was only 93 miles combined.
• Volkswagen e-Up 32.3kWh: From 2019, Volkswagen installed a larger 32.3kWh battery pack, with the same 82PS motor. Performance was the same but range now on the more realistic WLTP cycle grew to 159 miles.

What used Volkswagen e-Up trim levels are available?

The e-Up was available in just one trim level, effectively serving as a trim level itself distinct from the rest of the Up range. Volkswagen made sure buyers got good value for money though given the car was much more expensive than the combustion models, so other than not having a touchscreen (common across the Up range - there’s a cradle for a smartphone instead), there’s all the kit you’d expect of a high-end small car.

• The Volkswagen e-Up came with 15-inch alloy wheels, an e-Up styling pack including C-shaped daytime running lights, blue exterior detailing, privacy glass, heated front seats, two-zone climate control, a heated front windscreen, heated door mirrors, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

Used Volkswagen e-Up dimensions and boot size

The Volkswagen e-Up’s dimensions are:

• Length: 3600mm
• Width: 1641mm (without mirrors), 1910mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1504mm

The Volkswagen e-Up’s boot size is:

• 250 litres
• 923 litres with the rear seats folded (to roof)

Used Volkswagen e-Up road tax

While you’ll still need to apply for VED or ‘road tax’ each year with the Volkswagen e-Up, as an electric car the cost is currently zero. This will change from April 2025 though the cost is unlikely to be too high when a tax rate is introduced.

How much is it to insure a Volkswagen e-Up?

Group 10 insurance is high by VW Up standards but pretty low compared to most other small electric cars - a Fiat 500 Electric starts in group 14, a Renault Zoe from group 15, and the Honda E all the way up in group 25.

Read our full Volkswagen e-Up review