VW: Crazy concept throws petrol can away

The one-passenger, all-electric Volkswagen NILS will make its debut at the Frankfurt motor show next week. Photo / Supplied

Volkswagen has entered the city-slicker market with a tiny electric car of its own after stablemate Audi showed off its Urban Concept.

Both cars will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

The pod-like Volkswagen NILS is the company's vision of a commuter device for the future.

With space for just one passenger it's built entirely from aluminium, keeping weight down to 460kg, and uses an electric motor mounted behind the driver to power the rear wheels.

A small lithium-ion battery pack, rechargeable from the mains in just two hours, delivers a range of 65km.

Thanks to the motor producing 25kW and 130Nm of torque, the top speed is 130km/h and the zero to 100km/h sprint is dispatched in less than 11 seconds.

There's even an element of practicality, with a boot big enough for a small bag located above the drive unit.

Although unique to look at, with its skinny 17-inch wheels and gullwing doors, the NILS has been designed as a recognisable member of the VW family.

The black surrounds to the front and rear bumpers, for example, mimic the up!, but at 3.04m long, it's around 50cm shorter than VW's new entry-level model.

Like the up!, it comes fitted with a City Emergency Braking system, which can apply the stoppers automatically at speeds below 30km/h, and it features a removable satellite-navigation unit that's also used to control the radio, telephone and trip computer functions.

According to VW's research, based on German commuters, 74 per cent cover less than 50km a day and 90 per cent travel to work alone - making this the ideal tool for the job.

Despite its compact dimensions, it fulfils all safety requirements for a vehicle of this type.