To maximize interior space, the battery is located in the underbody.
The Volkswagen T7Multivan teaser trailers are plentiful. For weeks, the company’s commercial division has been showing short previews of this people carrier. This latest episode confirms that the new van will use a plug-in hybrid setup. It will also come with an EV mode.
Multivan eHybrid is able to start without using gasoline, and it can continue in zero-emissions mode at very low speeds. The combustion engine kicks in when the battery is low or the vehicle speeds up. The battery is mounted underbody, which saves space and lowers the T7’s center-of-gravity.
The PHEV system that the Multivan will use is not disclosed by VW. However, because the vehicle is based on the MQB platform the hardware can be adapted from other models. A turbocharged 1.4-liter gasoline engine will work with an electric motor to deliver 242 horsepower (180 kilowatts), and 295 pound-feet (405 Newton-meters), as seen in the Golf GTE and Audi A3 Sportback 45TFSI e, Skoda Octavia RS iV and the Cupra Leon e-Hybrid.
VW Group offers a lower specification PHEV setup, with 201 hp (135 kW) and 258 lbft (355 Nm) respectively for the Golf eHybrid and Octavia iV. The 1.4 TSI engine is shared by both setups, a 13-kWh lithium ion battery pack and a six speed DSG engine specifically designed for hybrid applications.
The Multivan eHybrid is larger and heavier than the PHEV setup. It would be logical to use the more powerful configuration. This is especially true when you consider that the T7 can hold up to seven people. It will definitely need the extra power. It will be similar to the Golf eHybrid/GTE, and the rest the electrified MQB gang.
Next month, the wraps will be taken off for the Multivan’s revamp. It will feature an exclusive automatic transmission and an electronic handbrake. The interior features individual seats in the three rows, as well as a table that slides forward and back and doubles up as a console. In teasers previously, a huge dual-pane sunroof was shown. Also, a dashboard that looks Golf has been seen.