Volkswagen reveals BUDD-e concept car at Consumer Electronics Show

Volkswagen has revealed its BUDD-e concept car at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show. The small electric van is powered by a pure-electric powertrain.

The vehicle is powered by a 101-kWh lithium-ion battery which provides up to 373 miles of range as measured on the European test cycle for EVs.

Thanks to fast-charging technology, the battery can be recharged 80 per cent in 15 minutes. The van concept reaches a theoretical top speed of 93 mph on the road. All four wheels are powered by two electric motors.

This car incorporates Volkswagen's new MEB architecture (Modularer Elektrisch Baukasten in German) designed especially for plug-in vehicles. MEB would accommodate both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in a variety of body styles for multiple Volkswagen Group brands.

The BUDD-e concept was revealed just one day after the US Department of Justice filed a suit against Volkswagen for cheating on EPA emissions tests.

However commentators charge that the Volkswagen supervisory board only initiated development of the MEB in October 2015 as an obvious ploy to greenwash VW's image following the diesel-emissions scandal.

Volkswagen has promised a mass-produced, pure-electric vehicle based on the MEB by the end of the decade. According to the company the vehicle would also have a driving range comparable to that of a gasoline-powered car.

According to commentators, Volkswagen's future depended on its ability to leave behind the emissions cheating scandal, which meant more than trotting out a concept car - even if it was electric. It meant producing all-electric models that included many of the technological advances featured on stage.

Volkswagen also revealed yesterday the e-Golf Touch, a compact car featuring technologies that would be used in production cars in the near future. The hatchback all-electric car showcased a variety of futuristic technologies from touchscreens that could be controlled by users waving their hand and technology that allowed users to wirelessly charge their smartphones.