In association with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen bolsters commercial vehicle lineup with eHybrid powertrain
The plug-in hybrid system offers flexibility and the potential for running cost savings across the range...
Every business is different. So flexibility has always been particularly important for commercial vehicles. With vans in a variety of shapes and sizes, it’s fair to say Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles already offers a comprehensive range. But the German manufacturer is looking to bolster that offering by expanding its list of powertrains. The latest addition? The eHybrid. That’s Volkswagen’s take on the plug-in hybrid, and it adds some quite compelling benefits to its award-winning range.
Find out more about the new Volkswagen Transporter
What is a plug-in hybrid?
For newcomers, plug-in hybrid technology is rather interesting, because it offers many of the benefits of electrification, but with the familiarity of a petrol engine for peace of mind. It gives you the opportunity to cover many of your journeys on electric power alone, with the petrol engine waiting in the wings for any longer cross-country trips.
In short, there’s a good chance you’ll be spending less on fuel while potentially reducing local emissions. And there are some useful benefits to the way the vehicle drives, too. Plenty of instant torque means responsive acceleration, and you’ll get to enjoy the smoothness and refinement that comes with electric power.
Which commercial vehicles have the eHybrid powertrain?
The new Volkswagen Transporter will receive the eHybrid treatment in 2026. Full details are yet to be confirmed, but we do know that the plug-in hybrid system won’t be short on power with its punchy 232PS headline figure. A usable electric-only range will offer battery-powered driving between local jobs, with a petrol engine for tasks thatlie further afield.
The new Transporter eHybrid will be eligible for the Government Plug-In Van Grant (accurate at time of publication), and, of course, ULEZ areas pose no concern. So if you aren’t quite ready for the all-electric eTransporter, but you’re potentially looking to move away from diesel, the Transporter eHybrid might just be the perfect middle ground.
Elsewhere in the range, the Volkswagen Caddy Cargo is already equipped with its own eHybrid powertrain. In the Caddy Cargo, the plug-in hybrid system combines a 150PS 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine with an electric motor and a large 19.7kWh battery.
Together, these deliver an official WLTP economy figure of 565.0mpg. Better still, that sizable battery means the Caddy Cargo eHybrid offers a substantial electric-only range of up to 73 miles, which is more than enough for most daily driving tasks. On many working days, you could feasibly end up using no petrol whatsoever, which could lead to substantial savings in running costs. The Caddy Cargo eHybrid model is also eligible for the Government’s Plug-In Van Grant.
Furthermore, there’s no impact on the Caddy’s ability as a load-lugging machine, with the eHybrid able to carry 740kg. Maximum load dimensions are the same throughout, too, which means the Caddy Cargo Maxi eHybrid has an interior load length of no less than 2150mm and a width of 1230mm. The addition of the plug-in hybrid powertrain has no impact on the height of the load area, either, so the Caddy Cargo Maxi can accommodate up to 3.7 cubic metres of equipment, tools and supplies.
Learn more about the Caddy Cargo
Work hard, play hard
If you tend to carry passengers rather than cargo, you’ll be pleased to know that the eHybrid has also found its way into the Multivan people-carrier, as well as the Volkswagen California campervan.
This eHybrid set-up is a little different from that in the Caddy Cargo in that it pairs a 177PS 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor on the front axle, plus a second electric motor on the rear axle. That means the eHybrid Multivan and California each have an impressive 245PS at the ready, as well as the reassurance of Volkswagen’s 4Motion four-wheel drive. The large 19.7kWh battery gives the Multivan an all-electric range of up to 57 miles, while the California can cover up to 56 miles on battery power alone – more than enough for most regular journeys. Torque of 350Nm also means that progress feels effortless in either model.
As ever, the talents and features that make both vehicles big sellers remain unaffected by the presence of the eHybrid powertrain. In fact, the serenity offered by pure-electric travel adds an additional level of refinement.
To that end, the Multivan eHybrid is still available with the clever seating options of its diesel/petrol sister vehicle, which means there are seats for up to seven people, and all the rear seats can be folded, tipped or removed to turn your vehicle into a huge van.
As for the California, everything you need to make your getaway unforgettable is present and correct. The California eHybrid features a sleeping area in the cabin as well as in the pop-up-roof area, plus cooking facilities, an integral coolbox and an auxiliary heater for those chilly nights.
Summary
The new plug-in eHybrid powertrain brings another facet to the Caddy Cargo, Multivan, California and forthcoming Transporter models, which means they offer even more appeal to an even wider range of customers. They are capable, economical and as flexible as ever, which is just what everyone needs from a vehicle that needs to do everything, and do it well.
