Volkswagen tipped to launch Australia's first plug-in hybrid van
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It may not have been first to the electric-car market, but the German car giant is set to debut petrol-electric plug-in hybrid technology for delivery vans in Australia.
The new 2025 Volkswagen Transporter van – and its Caravelle people mover sibling – will offer a full range of diesel, petrol-electric plug-in hybrid and electric variants when they launch in Australia next year.
And – unless another model is confirmed for showrooms and launched in the meantime – the German car giant will be the first to sell a plug-in hybrid van in Australia.
The latest Transporter and Caravelle are based on the latest Ford Transit Custom and Tourneo siblings, as part of the partnership between Ford and VW that spawned the latest Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok utes.
Volkswagen Australia will offer both vehicles with a full range of power options – diesel, petrol-electric plug-in hybrid, and fully electric – it has confirmed.
First to launch will be the Transporter van in diesel and electric forms in the second quarter of 2025 (April to June), followed by the diesel and electric Caravelle in the third quarter (July to September).
Due about a year later – in the second quarter of 2026, pending any further delays – are plug-in hybrid versions of the Transporter and Caravelle.
As it stands today, the Transporter will be the first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) van to be sold in Australia – assuming no other brands announce and launch a competing vehicle in the next 18 months.
Meanwhile, the electric Transporter will give Volkswagen two similarly-sized battery-electric (BEV) vans in its showrooms, alongside the less traditionally-styled ID. Buzz.
“Those people who do need slightly longer distances and are a little bit further from charging points might select a long range BEV, or those even further than that might want the even-longer range of a PHEV,” VW Australia spokesman Daniel DeGasperi told Drive.
“I think certainly there’s a market for commercial vehicles that go back to base quite often … some commercial vehicles are not on the road 24/7, they’re tethered and drive back to base where they essentially charge, no different to you or I going home and charging our smartphone to the wall.
“Those sort of use cases would be really excellent for a PHEV.”
Despite the Transporter and Caravelle’s Ford DNA, the Blue Oval does not intend to launch the plug-in hybrid versions of its vehicles in Australia – leaving Volkswagen unique in offering the option locally.
The PHEVs combine a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and 11.8kWh battery for 171kW combined, as well as about 55km of electric-only driving range in NEDC lab testing.
Plug-in hybrids are more popular in Europe than conventional ‘plug-less’ hybrids, for both tax reasons, as well as their ability to use a growing number of zero-emissions zones in large European cities.
MORE: No Toyota-style hybrid coming for new Ford Transit Custom van
PHEVs are currently exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) in Australia under private novated leases, but this concession is due to end in April 2025, 12 months before the new plug-in hybrid Volkswagens arrive.
The new Ford-based Transporter and Caravelle range will not spawn a Multivan version, as it has switched to VW’s MQB passenger-car platform under the Golf and Tiguan for a more car-like driving experience.
It means there is now more differentiation between the Caravelle and Multivan – the former a nine-seater in Europe, and the latter a seven-seater in Australia – which previously filled similar roles as people movers based on a delivery-van platform.
Also due in Volkswagen showrooms in the second quarter of next year is a facelifted Crafter large van, with diesel engines.
The post Volkswagen tipped to launch Australia’s first plug-in hybrid van appeared first on Drive.
