The electric VW Transporter or ABT e-Transporter 6.1 has been developed in partnership with ABT, the same great company who make the amazing VW Transporter ABT. The famous German tuner is responsible not only for the van’s styling but also for batteries and power. The e-Transporter is just one van in an increasing range of electric vans which includes the Ford Transit Custom Hybrid and the Mercedes eVito.
The e-Transporter’s specs include:
- 110 PS “engine” which is emissions-free and silent
- 0-60 in 17 seconds
- RWD (rear-wheel drive) via an adapted DSG gearbox
- Panel van and Kombi available to order
- Comes with Startline or Highline specification
- 82-mile range, 1000 KG payload, and unchanged load area
- 80% charge in just 45 minutes on a 50kW rapid charger (DC)
or 5.5 hours to 100% on a 7.2kW AC home charging station - Smart charging solution: CCS Charging
- No road-fund license cost (road-tax free)
- Free access to low emission zones (LEZ)
0 – 80% in 45 minutes — The Concept — 37.3 kWh Battery
As we understand VW’s Concept, they don’t want to strip the world bare of cobalt — a key ingredient in many EV batteries — by producing batteries that will last for weeks with a 1000-mile range. This may be the goal of some other manufacturers, but it’s unsustainable. We can’t ever see Volkswagen and other large-scale manufacturers ever adopting the Tesla model of large batteries with huge ranges, but it is possible that there will be a double-battery option on future models and / or as a retro upgrade.
Cobalt mines can only produce so much. Shortages in cobalt and lithium — another battery material — are increasingly likely even though some manufacturers are seeking alternatives, in part due to the significant human-rights violations at cobalt mines in DR Congo. Most manufacturers want to mine as little cobalt as possible due to the environmental and social impacts mining has.
So until there’s a viable alternative power source invented, or manufacturers come up with a safe, reliable way to charge on the move, ranges for electric vans are likely to remain at 100 – 200 miles for the foreseeable future. But as the e-Transporter can get to 80% of its full charge in just 45 minutes from a DC rapid charger (and there are more and more of these popping up all the time), it’s still a great van for city driving!
Chargers
There are various government grants available for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and these apply both for workplace chargers and those fitted to your home. You can find the most up-to-date information on the government’s website. It should be relatively straightforward to get a charger set up for your e-Transporter (or any electric vehicle), so do look into all the options to find the best one for you.
Models of ABT eTRANSPORTER
37.3kWh Van Auto (Apr 20-) £50,721
37.3kWh Advance Van Auto (Apr 20-) £54,681
37.3kWh Kombi Van Auto (Apr 20-) £55,899
37.3kWh Advance Kombi Van Auto (Apr 20-) £60,231
