Meet VW’s first fully-electric van, eTransporter 6.1

KUALA LUMPUR: Remember the iconic VW Transporter van? The German automaker has introduced its fully-electric version, which seems to be designed for short trips.

It has a maximum driving range of 132km, that’s only a fraction of what the VW Transporter can travel on one full tank.

Called the eTransporter 6.1, this electric van has been built by ABT - a specialising tuning company away from VW’s main assembly line. However, the tuner has the full backing of the German automaker.

As for now, the VW fully-electric van will soon go on sale in the UK market, for now, there are no plans to sell in other parts of the world.

The VW eTransporter price starts from £42,060; the crew van trim price starts from £46,375. In comparison, in the UK, the diesel-powered Transporter goes for £27,626, while the crew version starts from £31,706.

According to the automaker, from its single electric motor, the eTransporter claims an output of 83kW, meaning that the electric van will get from 0 to 100 kmph mark in 17.4 seconds. Furthermore, its unspecified battery capacity delivered a driving range of 132 km during the WLTP test cycle. This short driving range makes the model unfit for several large cities. The van supports up to 50kW DC charging, and VW claims it can be recharged 85% within about 45 minutes.

From the performance figures, it seems like VWs prime focus is on the cargo space, and it does not want to compromise it with large batteries. Compact units are fitted underneath the load area, thus ensuring the cargo space remains the same as the Transporter (6700 mm) with a payload capacity of 1001 kg.

ABT has fitted the eTransporter 6.1 with regenerative braking that charges the battery during braking operations. Besides, it also benefits from a modified dual-clutch automatic transmission - an unusual addition to electric cars that allows the vehicle to vary between 75 and 100% of its power depending on the conditions.

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