Volkswagen has teamed up with German partner Abt’s e-Line division to create a new electric van, the eTranporter 6.1, which arrives in Britain ahead of its upcoming arch rival, the Ford Transit EV. While we’re all familiar with Abt’s tuning work with VW’s ICE-powered models, its role on the eTransporter panel van has centred on the underfloor 37.3kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor. There’s not a wing or diffuser in sight.
The eTransporter isn’t going to leave the competition - including the Nissan E-NV200 - in a cloud of electric dust either. With 110hp it’s very much focussed on the job of carrying up to 1,001kg in an unaffected load space of 6.7 cubic metres for as far as possible. Which in this case is 82 miles, making the eTransporter more a city-based courier than a cross-continent roadie wagon. A 0-62mph time of 17.4 seconds confirms the sedate level of performance VW is selling here.
Certainly it makes the van short on power and range compared to the established E-NV200. But Volkswagen’s contender has a cargo bay which is larger than the Nissan’s by 2.5 cubic metres, so it’s got a handy USP until the EV Transit arrives next year. The eTransporter’s regenerative braking system should also help to keep range topped up in traffic, and the deployment of a modified dual clutch transmission DSG brings an air of familiarity to its operation.
The eTransporter’s powerplant produces 75 per cent power in normal Drive circumstances, with the kickdown function turning it up to unleash 100 per cent. Do that a lot and you’ll be given the option of topping up the juice at either a DC or AC plug, with both Combined Charging System or Type 2 compatibility. The quickest charge time is with a 50kW DC plug, reaching 80 per cent in 45 minutes. It takes 5.5 hours (or overnight, realistically) to fully charge with a conventional 7.2kW AC plug.
VW’s first electric van for Britain costs £42,060 excluding VAT, just over £14k more than the base Transporter’s price. Clearly that’s a lot more, but the onus here is on the potentially enormous fuel savings, not to mention the exemptions from things like road tax and London’s Congestion Charge fee. VW throws in extra standard kit to sweeten the deal, including a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth handsfree and DAB, an SD card slot, plus there are two type-C USB ports.
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