An electric version of Volkswagen’s iconic Transporter van will debut next year. For the first time, the Transport will not be based on the California camper but on a newly developed platform with Ford.
Volkswagen’s Transport is one of the top-selling vans of all time, making it only right for it to enter the electric era.
The Transport has been in production for over 70 years, attracting hippies, surfers, travelers, and people from around the globe. It initially pulled components from the Beetle, but its biggest feat was its flat floor, creating a spacious open-air space.
It didn’t take long for ice cream vendors, emergency services, and others to begin using custom versions due to the interior space.
The fourth-generation Transporter T4 arrived in the US under the moniker “Eurovan” in 1992. It was VW’s first camper van with a front-engine model and pop-up roof tent elements still used today.
Although the Eurovan made a name for itself in the US camping community, VW pulled it from the market. The decision was due to slow sales and unfavorable costs.
Still the the best selling Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle, the Transporter is due for another upgrade next year.
Volkswagen to launch an electric Transporter with Ford
According to Autocar, the next-gen Volkswagen Transporter will debut next year on a newly developed platform with Ford, offering an electric variant for the first time.
The electric Transport will be built at Ford’s Otosan factory, where the E-Transit is built for the European market.
Starting next year, the Transporter will be available as a nine-seater shuttle, two-row bus, or or cargo van. A sportline trim is also expected to join the lineup, but it’s not yet confirmed.
Instead of being based on the California, it will be derived from the VW Multivan. The new Volkswagen electric Transporter is expected to use batteries, electric motors, gearboxes, and chassis structure from Ford.
Volkswagen will offer the same variants Ford offers for the Transit, including all-electric, hybrid, and gas options. The report claims the electric Transporter will be at least on par with Ford’s 236 mile range.
Ford has yet to reveal the full specs for its E-Transit Custom, but says it will have 214 max hp and 306 lb-ft of torque.
Volkswagen’s new Transporter will be have nearly identical dimensions as Ford at less than 2m tall to get around town with ease.
Ford says the E-Transit Custom is a “no compromise” commercial electric van that took Europe’s best-selling commercial van and improved “it in every single way.”
Volkswagen commercial vehicles CEO Carsten Intra told Autocar the new electric van will be unique from Ford’s. Intra added:
Although they are similar, we have a different car to [Ford’s]. It has been judged internally too, even at Ford, and everyone has judged it as better.
Sounds like a competition – or partnership – is heating up in Europe. Volkswagen’s new Transporter is expected to start above £35,000 ($42,700). Ford’s new electric van starts at £33,000 ($40,300).
Electrek’s Take
Like the current generation Transporter, the new model is not expected to be sold in the US. However, the brand did reveal a three-row ID.Buzz electric microbus that’s launching next year in North America.
Ford and Volkswagen are partnering on another EV for Europe, the electric Explorer. The Explorer EV is based on VW’s MEB platform, combining German engineering with American design. It’s expected to start at under $50,000 (€45,000).
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