Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has revealed initial details of the new Transporter and e-Transporter ahead of their arrival next year.
Teased earlier this week as a near-production prototype in a YouTube video, along with the Caravelle people carrier, the new-generation Transporter will debut a wide range of powertrains and significantly expanded standard equipment.
It’s expected to be built on the same platform as the new Ford Transit Custom/E-Transit Custom, under the firms’ longstanding collaboration, delivering enhanced capabilities too.
Vehicle line-up will include a panel van, panel van Plus with a second row of seats, panel van with L-partition, a Kombi, a long dropside vehicle with double cab, as well as the Caravelle at a later date. The Kombi and panel van models will also be optionally available with a high roof and an extended wheelbase. The high roof can now also be combined with the shorter wheelbase.
It’s longer and wider than before, giving extra cargo or passenger space. Length stands at 5,050mm – an increase of 146mm – while the wheelbase has been extended by 97mm to 3,100mm. There will also be an optional 400mm-longer wheelbase (total length: 5,450mm). Width is up by 128mm to 2,032mm.
The new Transporter also delivers extra load capacity, payload and maximum trailer weight.
Maximum stowage volume with the standard wheelbase and standard roof is now up to 5.8m3 while maximum width between the wheel housings delivers an extra 148mm and now stands at 1,392mm.
Payload with standard wheelbase and TDI drive has risen from 1.2 to 1.3 tonnes. Volkswagen has also increased the maximum trailer weight (braked with 12% gradient) of this version from 2.5 to 2.8 tonnes for the diesel panel van in 150hp and 170hp guise. Meanwhile, maximum dynamic roof load has grown from 150kg to 170kg.
For the first time, the Transporter will be available in plug-in hybrid (eHybrid) and fully electric (eTransporter) versions, which will arrive at a later date. Full technical specs haven’t been released yet but the front-wheel-drive eHybrid – expected to use the same setup as its Ford counterpart – will deliver 233hp.
Four fully electric versions will be on offer, delivering 116hp, 136hp, 218hp and 286hp. The base version comes with a 54kWh battery, rising to 83kWh for the other models. All are rear-wheel drive; an all-wheel drive version is planned for a later date.
Diesel versions will launch first. The new TDI engines will be available in three output variants: 110hp, 150hp and 170hp. The latter two will also be available with 4Motion all-wheel drive as an option.
For now, Volkswagen has only previewed the Transporter with a digital-style camouflage but styling features will include LED headlights and tail lights as standard, while the new Transporter will be able to be configured with either a boot lid or wide-opening wing doors, like its predecessors.
Other standard equipment will include an electronic parking brake plus Auto Hold function, a 12-inch digital instrument cluster (Digital Cockpit), infotainment system (including DAB+, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, online services and 13-inch touchscreen), multifunction steering wheel, rain sensor, Lane Assist lane keeping system, Autonomous Emergency Braking Front Assist and Dynamic Road Sign Display with wrong-way warning.
Pre-orders for the Transporter start from 14 December in Germany, with prices from €36,780 (around £31,687). Pre-sales and prices for the UK are yet to be announced.
