Hanover is Volkswagen’s home city in Germany - headquarters of its commercial vehicles operations and just one hour by autobahn from its global HQ in Wolfsburg – so the annual Hanover Fair is big business.
This year Volkswagen revealed an innovative concept – the Milano electric-powered taxi.
Conversion of the world’s taxi fleet to electric power would make a huge contribution to the air quality in major cities.
The Milano is powered by an 85kW electric motor with its lithium ion battery mounted in the chassis underneath the passenger compartment. Range between recharges is up to 300kms.
Inside, is an innovative design that reflects Volkswagen extensive knowledge of the taxi market. The cargo area is integrated into the passenger compartment (faster loading/unloading) and both driver and passenger have individual touch screens for electronic processing of fares.
While the Milano is a well-executed concept, Volkswagen plans to launch several production electric vehicles in 2013.
