New all-electric variants for Volkswagen Transporter van
Volkswagen has expanded its Transporter lineup with two new electric versions of the Kombi and Shuttle variants...
On sale Now Price from £53,404
Some of the best combinations in this world comprise two things that shouldn’t work together at all, but they do; for example, chilli and chocolate, olive oil and ice cream – and now, electric power and vans. Indeed, the electric van market is bigger than it’s ever been, and now there’s yet more choice thanks to the introduction of two new Volkswagen e-Transporter variants.
Indeed, the five-seat Kombi crew van and seven-seat Shuttle variants of the VW Transporter van will now be available to order with electric power, rather than just diesel.
Equipped with a 65kWh battery pack, the Kombi should be good for an official range of 196 miles – which is competitive, although the Ford E-Transit Custom can go further, at 201 miles. Depending on the trim level, the Kombi has a power output of either 134bhp, 215bhp or 282bhp, which makes it more powerful in its most potent form than any of the diesel options.
The Kombi is available in both short and long wheelbase versions, however, you do have to compromise slightly on payload, with a maximum of 896kg. For comparison, the most practical diesel Kombi can manage up to 1078kg, while the E-Transit Custom gets up to 1088kg.
Buyers can choose between two trim levels for the Kombi: Commerce Plus or Commerce Pro. Entry-level Commerce Plus comes with 16in steel wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights, heated front seats, a heat pump, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, among other features.
Stepping up to Commerce Pro trim will add 16in alloy wheels, individually controllable heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging and adaptive cruise control.
The Shuttle also comes kitted out with the same 65kWh battery, but it yields a slightly shorter official range of 194 miles – less than the Citroën ë-Spacetourer. Like the Kombi, it has a power output of either 134bhp, 215bhp or 282bhp depending on the trim level you opt for, and it’s available with a choice of short or long wheelbases.
Two trim levels are also available with the Shuttle: Life and Style. Life trim is similar to Commerce Plus on the Kombi, with cruise control, LED headlights and daytime running lights, a heat pump and a rear-view camera, though the Shuttle gets 16in alloy wheels as standard.
Style adds 17in alloy wheels, heated front seats and steering wheel, a wireless phone charger and sliding doors on the driver and front passenger side.
Both the electric Kombi and Shuttle variants of the VW Transporter are available to order now. Prices for the Kombi start at £53,404, making it cheaper than most versions of the E-Transit Custom. Meanwhile, the electric Shuttle starts at £56,129, which is significantly pricier than an ë-Spacetourer.
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