Volkswagen: Bulli comes as a plug-in hybrid
SUSTAINABLE AND BIGGER The break is clear, almost as hard as the switch from rear- to front-wheel drive once was. We are talking about the Multivan, the all-round talent from the workshops of VW's commercial vehicle division in Hanover. Technically, the wider and longer van is on a par with current passenger cars in the upper mid-range, with up to 29 assistance systems [...]
In terms of technology, the wider and longer van is on a par with current upper mid-range passenger cars, with up to 29 assistance systems on board. The new edition will be in dealerships in the fall. Prices have not yet been announced, but they are unlikely to be lower than those of the current model.
Multivan is one of the Group's bestsellers
You shouldn't change a winning team, they say. And so far, the Multivan has been one of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles' (VWN) bestsellers. But a changing of the guard was urgently called for after the hesitant refreshes of recent years.
Because the still current model basically goes back to the change from the T4 to the T5, and that hit the streets back in 2003. The T6 appeared in 2015, but it was more of a comprehensive model update, and the T6.1 also received little more than new paint jobs and improved infotainment systems two years ago.
The ID.Buzz comes with purely electric drive
The T7 sticks to the tried and tested, but opens up new possibilities. Like its Golf passenger car brother, it is based on the Group's Modular Transverse Toolkit. This allows hybridization; as a plug-in version, the Multivan is to become a part-time electric vehicle and cover a distance of up to 50 kilometers with the help of the electric motor on the rear axle and a 14 kWh lithium battery. However, it will not be purely electric, but VWN will offer the ID.Buzz as a member of the electric family from 2022.
Camper and carrier remains the T6.1
And the Multivan will also become a specialist for private users and, at best, commercial shuttle services. For the hard life on the construction site or in agriculture, the various versions of the T6.1 will have to continue to slave away.
And campers have no choice either. The California version will also remain on the market, based on the current VW Bulli. This is probably why sales expectations are subdued. The rumor is that 25,000 units are planned annually for the T7.
Seven seats and up to 4053 liters of cargo space
The design of the new model is striking. A striking feature is the light strip at the front, which acts as a daytime running light and connects the two narrow headlights. The windshield is flatter, as is the engine hood, which has also become longer. After all, it now has to accommodate radar antennas and larger batteries.
Compared with the T6.1, the new Multivan is 3.7 centimeters wider and almost seven centimeters longer. The wheelbase has even been extended by 12.4 centimeters. This allows it to be used for the standard body (4.97 meters) and also for the stretched variant (5.13 meters).
There are up to seven seats and a luggage compartment of at least 470 liters. Removing the seats increases the load volume to 4053 liters. The seats, which slide on guide rails, have been slimmed down for easier removal and now weigh just 23 kilograms.
Sliding doors with electric opening are standard
The instrument panel is based on the digitalized operation of the passenger car series. Most of the switches and dials have disappeared, replaced by monitors with touch-sensitive screens. A 10.25-inch screen reproduces the instrumentation, while the monitor above the center console measures ten inches diagonally and can be used to control almost all other functions.
The handbrake lever has also disappeared; an electric parking brake makes it superfluous and thus facilitates the route past the front seats to the rear. Two sliding doors with electric opening are standard for the passenger compartment. The idea of a multitool, a kind of stool that can be moved in the rear and used as a table, storage space or cool box, is a clever one.
Dual-clutch transmission with six or seven gears
When it launches in the fall, the Multivan can be ordered with four-cylinder turbo gasoline engines (136 and 204 hp) and a 150 hp diesel. Thanks to improved aerodynamics (Cw 0.30) and a wide range of optimizations, consumption is expected to fall by around one liter for all powertrains.
Consumption will be even lower for the plug-in hybrid, whose system output is stated at 218 hp. All powertrains will be combined with dual-clutch transmissions that have six or seven gears. With a slight time delay, VWN still plans to offer a second, more powerful two-liter turbodiesel.
