√New Volkswagen Multivan T7 at least 18 months away, plug-in hybrid on the cards

Volkswagen remains keen on replacing its ageing T6.1 Multivan people mover with the new T7, and a plug-in hybrid variant is highly desirable – but they are not due until 2024 at the earliest.

The next-generation Volkswagen Multivan ‘T7’ people mover is at least 18 months away from Australian showrooms – but it could offer plug-in hybrid power when it eventually arrives locally.

The replacement to the ageing T6.1 Multivan – now underpinned by the same car-derived platform as the Golf and Tiguan, rather than sharing its bones with a delivery van – may not be due in Australia until two and a half years after it went on sale in Europe.

Stock shortages continue to impact Volkswagen’s current range of vans – amid parts shortages and production delays – but Volkswagen Australia’s director of commercial vehicles Ryan Davies told media this week: “T7 Multivan is still something under evaluation at this point.”

“We definitely want it, but we’re not confirmed as a market as yet. We’ll continue with T6.1 for the next year and a half, and then by that stage I’d like to hope that we can get access to T7,” said Davies.

This could indicate an early to mid 2024 Australian arrival for the T7 Multivan – pending any further delays – possibly around the same time as the electric Kombi reboot, the ID. Buzz.

The T7 Multivan – the first new model in six years – is based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform which underpins the brand’s Golf small hatchback, Tiguan medium SUV, and Caddy small van.

The use of the shared platform has allowed for the introduction of plug-in hybrid electrification, which Volkswagen Australia is equally interested in including as part of its local T7 Multivan line-up.

“We’d like [the plug-in hybrid], yeah. I mean we’ll take T7 even without plug-in hybrid. The car itself is, again, similar to ID. Buzz, it’s an extremely attractive car that people have suggested that they want to see in Australia.”

Volkswagen’s ‘eHybrid’ system, available in the T7 Multivan, combines a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an 85kW electric motor for a combined power output of 160kW. Electric power is derived from a 13kWh battery, for about 50km of claimed electric driving range.

“We certainly want to see it in Australia, but we’ll take it in any form we can get it. Plug-in hybrid would be an awesome thing to have, obviously, in this market. We just have to see how we go with the business case on it.”

For the first time, the T7 Multivan people mover won’t spawn a related T7 Transporter. Instead, the delivery van is set to enter a new generation next year co-developed alongside the next Ford Transit Custom.

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