Volkswagen’s new eHybrid Multivans come with all-wheel drive, almost double

The vans benefit from a larger battery pack and a new torsion beam rear axle with an integrated electric motor

Volkswagen, on the other hand, is fully committed to the field of electric ID. It’s making a splash in North America, while elsewhere it’s hedging its bets on minivans with the T7 series, while retaining the internal combustion engine. Outside the U.S., Volkswagen still offers the standard Multivan and its campervan sibling, the California, for those not ready to go fully electric. Unveiled at the IAA Transport show in Germany last September, the models have now been electrified with a new eHybrid 4Motion trim, bringing a plug-in hybrid setup and all-wheel drive capability.

At the heart of eHybrid 4Motion is a new PHEV system that produces a combined output of 241 horsepower (180 kW / 245 PS) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque. Volkswagen has put this together using a 1.5-liter TSI Evo2 petrol engine developing 174 hp (130 kW / 177 PS) at the front, paired with a 113 hp (85 kW / 115 PS) electric motor at the front and a 134 hp (100 kW / 136 PS) The motor is located on the rear axle.

More: New Volkswagen California campervan continues to evolve, gaining more space, luxury and hybrid power

Power is sent to all four wheels via a new rear axle that runs entirely on electricity and remains functional even if the battery is depleted. In this case, the TSI engine and the front electric motor work together to generate the necessary power for the rear axle electric motor, while the front electric motor acts as a generator.

Depending on the situation, the wagon can engage the front axle, the rear axle or both, and provide permanent all-wheel drive when Sport mode is activated. Volkswagen has also upgraded the six-speed DSG transmission to meet the growing demands of hybrid systems.

Prior to this update, the only way to get all-wheel drive in the Multivan was to opt for the 2.0 TDI diesel engine.

The new model’s battery pack is another major improvement. At 19.7 kWh, it’s nearly double the capacity of the outgoing Multivan eHybrid’s 10.4 kWh battery pack. This means the California has an all-electric range of 91 kilometers (57 miles) and the Multivan has an all-electric range of 95 kilometers (59 miles), both of which can sustain speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) Electric mode. For anyone looking to score points, the previous front-wheel-drive-only Multivan eHybrid had an electric range of up to 50 kilometers (31 miles), meaning you can now get almost double the range using just the battery.

In addition to nearly doubling capacity, the lithium-ion battery is also compatible with 11 kW AC charging (previously 3.6 kW AC) and up to 50 kW DC charging. In addition, when the vehicle is stationary, the battery power can be used to cool, ventilate and heat the vehicle interior, making overnight stays in remote areas more comfortable.

The new electric van is already available to order in the European market. In Germany, the Volkswagen Multivan eHybrid 4Motion starts at €70,668.15 ($76,100), while the California eHybrid 4Motion with extended body and pop-up roof starts at €77,772.45 ($83,730).