Let’s make this clear from the very beginning – this is a tough sell.
Volkswagen really has its work cut out for it to convince buyers to skip the conventional and instead opt for its all-new, all-electric Transporter. It costs a lot more than its diesel-powered equivalent and provides far less driving range.
So why would anyone buy it? Well, Volkswagen Australia commercial vehicles boss Nathan Johnson admits it will only appeal to a small audience, and he also acknowledges that this is about futureproofing the Transporter as much as adding volume. But he also knows that for a select few, who have specific needs, the eTransporter is a welcome addition.
Let me tell you why.
For starters, the eTransporter is just that, an electric version of the brand’s long-serving Transporter van lineage. This isn’t the retro-funky ID.Buzz Cargo that has great looks and a clever powertrain but is smaller.
Instead, the eTransporter is built on the same platform as the diesel model, which means it shares the same dimensions; even if that doesn’t translate to exactly the same capabilities. The eTransporter is available in two different sizes – SWB and LWB – with the former able to take up to 5.8 cubic metres of cargo and objects as long as 2.6m in its rear hold, while the latter has up to 3.0m in length and 6.8 cubic metres in total capacity. If that’s not enough, there’s also a steel fixed partition between the cabin and the rear load area, with window and window grille plus a load through hatch to provide even more space.
The battery-powered Transporter has a payload rating of 806kg for the SWB and 760kg for the LWB, with a towing capacity of 2300kg. While all those figures are lower than the Transporter diesel, to put it into context, the ID.Buzz Cargo, as cool as it looks, simply isn’t as practical as the Transporter. It only has 3.9 cubic metres of cargo space, a 2.2m load length, a 774kg payload and 1200kg braked towing capacity.
The eTransporter should have little trouble pulling along a loaded cargo space, with its electric motor producing 210kW of power and 415Nm of torque. It drives the rear-wheels, which isn’t something available on the Transporter TDI, so it provides a different driving experience.
Naturally it’s very quiet with the electric motor, but the cabin is well-insulated from outside noise, which is a big plus when you’re spending so much time behind the wheel.
But this is where the hurdles the eTransporter needs to clear start to become a problem. If you need to spend your day driving for business, the 330km range on a single charge might simply not be enough. The good news is Volkswagen claims that with fast charging it only takes 38 minutes to replenish the batteries from 10-80%, but that’s a lot of downtime when you’re on the clock.
Clearly Volkswagen is hoping the eTransporter will appeal to back-to-base-style operators, those who have a schedule in the morning and then return to a central location to receive the next batch of deliveries (or similar) so that re-loading time can be used to charge.
It could also work for tradies who work primarily in an urban environment and have a shorter commute, but it does leave you exposed if you suddenly need to travel further afield.
Whichever way you look at it, the electric Transporter has limited appeal. But that’s fine for Volkswagen, because not only does it have the diesel model already on sale, but a plug-in hybrid version is locked in to arrive in early 2026.
Likely the biggest hurdle the eTranspoter needs to overcome is the price, with SWB priced from $83,590 (plus on-road costs) and the LWB from $85,590, that’s a whopping $25,000 more expensive than the diesel variant. Even if you want to save on your fuel bill, you’ll need to be doing a lot of kays before you get back on top of that equation.
So, while it might have limited appeal, there will be those who are looking for an electric van – whether it be for corporate image help or simply because they feel like it’s worth the extra money – and now Volkswagen is perfectly positioned to not only provide an alternative, but one that ticks the boxes that commercial van buyers are looking for.
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