Volkswagen, like most other European automakers, is struggling with new emissions regulations. This affects not only the bread and butter hatchbacks and crossovers, but also the vans and other commercial vehicles. These latest spyshots of the 2021 Transporter, the all-new T7 generation, show it too is going down the electrification route.
Spied testing in Arctic conditions, the T7 Transporter has labels reading "Hybrid," which are mandatory for safety when testing in some countries. This is mainly so that fire forces know not to electrocute themselves if they ever have to cut into a prototype.
In addition, the vehicle sports a plug-in port on the right front quarter panel, right in front of the door. It will be really interesting to see what kind of engine they use in this application or if there is even an engine at all. Don't forget that the Bulli EV is supposed to enter production in a couple of years, and we still don't know if it's a bespoke MEB product.
Currently, Volkswagen's main plug-in hybrid drive consists of a 1.4-liter turbo and an electric motor which together produce between 200 and 245 horsepower, depending on the model. But the Multivan, which is the passenger model you see here, has never had anything so small in displacement. In fact, for the past 14 years, it's only had 2-liter turbo engines.
Diesel engines aren't ideally suited for plug-in hybrid systems, and even though VW can theoretically adapt the 2.0 TDI just for the T7, it probably makes more sense to use the 2.0 TSI gasoline motor running the efficient Atkinson cycle.
Cosmetically, the T7 is pretty different, but in a good way. It's got a much smaller grille compared to the T6.1 facelift. Also, the greenhouse, which has stayed largely the same shape since the 1990s, is now getting split A-pillars with glass in the middle and a raked-back windshield. These make the Multivan look like it's been designed by Citroen.
Our spyshots allowed us a quick glimpse of the interior as well, which clearly shows the dashboard borrows tech from the Golf 8. The double digital screens not only signal fewer buttons, but also voice command integration.
In addition, the vehicle sports a plug-in port on the right front quarter panel, right in front of the door. It will be really interesting to see what kind of engine they use in this application or if there is even an engine at all. Don't forget that the Bulli EV is supposed to enter production in a couple of years, and we still don't know if it's a bespoke MEB product.
Currently, Volkswagen's main plug-in hybrid drive consists of a 1.4-liter turbo and an electric motor which together produce between 200 and 245 horsepower, depending on the model. But the Multivan, which is the passenger model you see here, has never had anything so small in displacement. In fact, for the past 14 years, it's only had 2-liter turbo engines.
Diesel engines aren't ideally suited for plug-in hybrid systems, and even though VW can theoretically adapt the 2.0 TDI just for the T7, it probably makes more sense to use the 2.0 TSI gasoline motor running the efficient Atkinson cycle.
Cosmetically, the T7 is pretty different, but in a good way. It's got a much smaller grille compared to the T6.1 facelift. Also, the greenhouse, which has stayed largely the same shape since the 1990s, is now getting split A-pillars with glass in the middle and a raked-back windshield. These make the Multivan look like it's been designed by Citroen.
Our spyshots allowed us a quick glimpse of the interior as well, which clearly shows the dashboard borrows tech from the Golf 8. The double digital screens not only signal fewer buttons, but also voice command integration.