VW Multivan eHybrid 4motion: electric thrust on both axles, long electric range

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The combination of a powerful diesel engine and all-wheel drive has always been popular in the VW Transporter. The latter is now being offered again. Instead of a diesel engine, however, the 4x4 Multivan has a plug-in hybrid drive with a petrol engine and electric rear axle. As has been the case for years with hybrids from Toyota, BMW / Mini or brands from the Stellantis Group.

The manufacturer had already thinned out the engine range for the current VW Multivan, which was launched more than two years ago. While the previous T6 and T6.1 generations had diesel engines of various power levels with front-wheel and all-wheel drive, the successor was completely different, not least due to the platform (modular transverse matrix MQB). The powerful diesel versions were already dropped during the development phase, with only the 110 kW diesel engine remaining in the range.

4motion now means plug-in hybrid

With a delay, a replacement is now coming that many existing diesel customers will have to get used to, as the Multivan and California are now mandatory plug-in hybrids as 4motion models. Their rear axle is not driven by a cardan shaft, but purely electrically. Engineers refer to such a configuration as an electric secondary axle, or simply "P4". The electricity is generated by the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 133 kW with the help of an 85 kW electric motor in the six-speed dual-clutch transmission. With the 100 kW e-axle, also with a permanent-magnet synchronous machine, this results in a system output of 180 kW and a total torque of 350 Nm.

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VW Multivan 4WD Hybrid (8 Bilder)

Thanks to the battery pack installed under the seats with a capacity of 19.7 kWh, the Multivan eHybrid 4motion can cover distances of up to almost 100 kilometers electrically. The power electronics on the front axle supply the 12-volt electrical system as a DC/DC converter, which should reduce the failure rate of the lead-acid battery previously used.

Powerful battery

The eHybrid 4motion must start electrically up to an outside temperature of minus 28  degrees Celsius. However, the all-wheel drive only works up to a speed of 65 km/h in the event of traction problems, a speed above which all-wheel drive is no longer needed as a traction aid anyway.

If required, the electric rear axle is available even when the battery is empty thanks to the powerful front electric motor. Depending on the surface and driving mode, up to 100 percent of the drive power can be directed to the front or rear axle, writes Volkswagen. This probably means that the full drive power can be provided by the other axle if one axle loses grip completely, otherwise the statement would be illogical from the power specifications alone.

Charging power 50 kW

In the Sport program, the hybrid Multivan is always an all-wheel drive vehicle up to 65 km/h – otherwise the front wheels will spin. In purely electric mode, the Multivan can reach 130 km/h; in normal hybrid mode on the highway, it can reach 200 km/h. Thanks to the hybrid drive's advantage in the WLTP, Volkswagen can specify standard consumption of just 0.5 to 0.8 liters per 100 kilometers.

The family and leisure vehicle charges with up to 50 kW at a fast-charging station. This favors spontaneous charging on the road and can therefore help to ensure that the VW is driven electrically more often. Unlike the previous Multivan eHybrid, the all-wheel drive version can also be charged with up to eleven kilowatts of alternating current at normal charging stations or a wallbox.

Expensive as usual

Customers can choose between the normal Multivan and the particularly popular California Camper. The base price for the VW Multivan eHybrid 4motion is just under 71,000 euros, while the hybrid California with all-wheel drive and long wheelbase costs at least 77,800 euros. Both models offer electric stationary air conditioning as standard.

(mki)