Volkswagen presents the new NILS single-seat electric concept vehicle, which will have its world debut at the 2011 IAA Frankfurt Auto Show. The Volkswagen NILS is VW's new concept of minimalist mobility, suited for the congested urban traffic. The VW Nils features an aluminum space frame chassis, wing doors and free-standing wheels, much like the ones of the Audi Urban Concept. In fact, taking a closer look we can safely say that the two concepts are closely related. Which in turn means, that we will also see an open-top version of the Volkswagen NILS, like Audi's Urban Concept Spyder.
The VW Nils is part of a project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development.
Volkswagen says that the Nils is developed to be technically realistic and economically supportable.
The Nils measures 3.04 m in length, which is 50 cm shorter than the new Volkswagen Up, 0.39 m in width and 1.2 m in height. Volkswagen says that it has a range of up to 65 kilometers (40 miles), a top speed of 130 km/h (80 mph) and a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration time of 11 seconds. With these efficiency figures, Volkswagen believes that the Nils will be perfect for its German customers.
The Volkswagen NILS has the same basic layout as a Formula 1 single-seat race car. It weighs 460 kg and it's powered by a 19 kg electric motor with a 15 kW nominal power, a 25 kW short-term peak power and 130 Nm of torque. The VW Nils gets its power from a 5.3 kWh battery which can be fully re-charged from a 230-volt electrical outlet in two hours.
Audi's Urban concept has two seats, but in the case of the Volkswagen NILS, the rear seat is occupied by the drive unit components and their aluminum housing. Even with its powertrain in the back, the NILS still has some space for a luggage compartment.
Volkswagen's Nils is equipped with a one-speed transmission, a double wishbone front and rear suspensions system, and ESP (Electronic Stabilization Program). Other high tech systems fitted on the Nils include an automatic distance control system, which uses a 200m range radar for detecting possible collisions and for stopping the car if needed, a seven-inch TFT display, and a Portable Infotainment Device (PID).
