There is an increasing demand for plug-in hybrid models and purely electric vehicles. In some cases, according to various media reports, the high demand can hardly be met. For more and more vehicles with alternative drive concepts KW automotive offers adjustable height and in damper characteristics sports suspensions. New for the VW e-up! (type AA), are two custom-made KW coilover kits, the KW Variant 1 and KW Variant 3.
Many electric vehicles and hybrid models have higher axle loads than conventional vehicles with pure combustion engines. For this reason, our coilovers available for the VW e-up! differ from the up! models with the 1.0-liter TSI gasoline engine in the overall setup, damper valve equipment and design.
For example, in test drives with a Tesla Model 3, the electric vehicle expert, Nextmove, achieved a range increase of seven percent by installing a KW coilover suspension and lower center of gravity in conjunction with the more direct road holding.
The 1,235 kg VW e-up! also benefits from the KW coilovers with their significantly more direct handling and improved ride comfort. Thus, KW Variant 1 with its preconfigured KW shock absorber setup offers an optimal balance of sportiness and suitability for everyday use in combination with the possibility of maximum lowering.
With their stainless-steel struts and rear axle height adjustment, KW coilover suspension kits allows continuous lowering of 20 – 40 millimeters on the front axle and 35 – 55 millimeters on the rear axle.
A perfect symbiosis of more driving dynamics, suitability for everyday use and adjustment flexibility is offered by the KW Variant 3 coilover suspension kit. As the VW e-up! (AA) is driven with the KW Variant 3 on roads in poor condition, the suspension absorbs these impacts precisely and quickly.
At very high vertical wheel accelerations, the high-speed compression valves open in the KW Variant 3 and the wheels can deflect harmoniously when driving over cross joints or bumps. In addition, the suspension gives each driver the option of individual suspension tuning. Depending on the setting, the steering behavior and rolling movements of the body change.
Whereas in KW Variant 3, the compression stage forces, in the low-speed range of the damping speed (piston rod speed), can be set with twelve click stages; the high-speed compression stage valves are preconfigured.
The rebound forces in the low-speed range of the KW Variant 3 can also be further adjusted separately from the compression stage. The adjustment is made directly on the piston rod with 16 precise clicks.
When the rebound is closed, the handling is much sportier and more direct; when the valves are open, the drive characteristics are more comfortable. For example, a higher compression stage on the front axle allows for even more direct steering and on the rear axle it counteracts oversteering.