Volkswagen Nils is a zero-emissions commuter vehicle for one (photos)

Volkswagen's latest concept is designed for city drivers who commute alone for short distances.

Dubbed the Nils concept, this electric vehicle produces zero tailpipe emissions.

An electric motor positioned on the rear axle outputs a continuous 20 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque but can summon up to 33.5 horsepower for short boosts when necessary.

A 5.3kWh lithium ion battery powers the EV up to its top speed of 81 mph.

The Nils is able to travel up to 40 miles between 2-hour charges, which should be enough to get many commuters to and from work daily.

The Nils has space for just one under its gullwing door.

There's not much space in the Nils' cabin, so VW has offloaded many of the infotainment functions to a docked smartphone.

The power button doubles as the drive selector. Push to start, twist to D, and you're off.

The instrumentation displays speed, battery charge state, and range data. FYI, "Fahrzeug wird geladen" translates to "The vehicle is loaded," which we assume means "The battery is full."

The smartphone mounted to the right of the instrument cluster is where controls for navigation, media playback, and hands-free calling can be found.

There's not much space in the Nils' boot, but you could probably fit a briefcase and a few bags of groceries.

The Nils tips the scales at an Audi Urban Concept-rivaling 1,018 pounds.