VW Transporter Electric

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New VW Electric e-Transporter - ABT Concept -

The future may be bright . . . . . . . and it may be electric!



World Premiere III: ABT e-Transporter


Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has offered its Transporter model series for eight decades. Now the brand is connecting the best-selling vehicle’s drive system with electricity: in the world premiere of a taxi concept – the ABT e-Transporter1. This concept car, designed together with the company Abt e-Line GmbH, is a zero-emission van designed to generate electricity at IAA Commercial Vehicles.

The battery system of the ABT e-Transporter is constructed to be scalable so that it can satisfy the needs of a wide variety of potential applications and budgets in a possible production model. In its base configuration, the Transporter comes with a lithium-ion battery that has an energy capacity of 37.3 kWh; the second battery version offers an energy capacity of 74.6 kWh. Driving ranges of the two versions are between 208 and 400 km.





VW Electric Vehicles at the IAA 2018 | VW Vans

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More to the point is how much they will cost. Electric cars are not cheap I cannot see a transporter costing any less Even that boke looks like it will cost
 
Possibly, or probably.
But ABT are getting behind this and aiming squarely at the performance/show van scene as this is a nice looking T6.
It would be interesting to understand the battery configuration. Could you have a battery big enough to run both engine and leisure functionality? Could you plug in and charge in the same way?
Will there be an Electric T6 member of the forum before the end of the year?
So who would buy one? Might be a good short haul work option or a pose-mobile??
 
Battery / Electric rant....
Is the current battery technology fit for purpose in the general market? The whole battery manufacturing process is so non-eco. Battery charging times are so looooong and life expectancy is poo.
The Volvo XC60 hybrid is so much more expensive. Has a battery life of 10 years (Depending on usage). Current battery replacement cost is £16K, which effectively makes the vehicle scrap in 10 years.
Will be interesting to see 2nd hand prices of Elon's cars in the near future.

Possible answer... target the fossil fuel suppliers / manufacturers to fund new battery technology. While they're making trillions, they'll never be a big step forward. Are they actually suppressing any progress??
A major move away from fossil technology in this area would totally fook up the Middle East and the yanks to name a few :)
 
And that last sentence from @Wills is perhaps the biggest reason for dragging heels..

Today in the UK, thousands of school aged children are out and about chanting at the top of their voices about climate change. Make no mistake, alternative fuels are here to stay, but the age old decider is whether or not to be an early adopter.

My worry is that running several technologies concurrently will simply add major costs and infrastructure mayhem with the urgency of it all. plus, it'll shaft us all if kids decide to wind everyone up against small users like T6 owners..
 
Probably retail for £50k+ and the sale version will be stripped of all those fancy clothes, but as a concept it shows we may only be a few years away from having an actual viable electric transporter, though the prices will probably be out of reach of most for some time after that
 
Battery / Electric rant....
Is the current battery technology fit for purpose in the general market? The whole battery manufacturing process is so non-eco. Battery charging times are so looooong and life expectancy is poo.
The Volvo XC60 hybrid is so much more expensive. Has a battery life of 10 years (Depending on usage). Current battery replacement cost is £16K, which effectively makes the vehicle scrap in 10 years.
Will be interesting to see 2nd hand prices of Elon's cars in the near future.

Possible answer... target the fossil fuel suppliers / manufacturers to fund new battery technology. While they're making trillions, they'll never be a big step forward. Are they actually suppressing any progress??
A major move away from fossil technology in this area would totally fook up the Middle East and the yanks to name a few :)
So long as oil is in the ground. So long as US oil companies extract it. So long as Middle Eastern Oil produces pump it. So long as the same Middle Eastern countries purchase US arms... new technologies for vehicles will be just a sideline. End off.
 
Personally I think battery powered vehicles will go the same way as Betamax VHS, laser discs, CD-ROM, steam engines etc. They will be superseded by better technologies before they get chance to mature. Hydrogen fuel cells anyone? There are still 2 fundamental barriers to battery power, the recharge time & duration. Give me a battery that will get me 400 miles towing a 2 tonne boat & recharge in 10 minutes & I’ll show some interest.
 
With a diesel you look forward to performance and economy gradually increasing as the miles are put on it. With electric i guesss you see the range gradually diminishing from day 1. And a reluctance to use the electrical comforts because they are reducing the range.

The costs of charging them seem to be almost dismissed, but the thoughts of the equivilant of four 3kw electric fires going while its charging would stop me sleeping at night.
 
With a diesel you look forward to performance and economy gradually increasing as the miles are put on it. With electric i guesss you see the range gradually diminishing from day 1. And a reluctance to use the electrical comforts because they are reducing the range.

The costs of charging them seem to be almost dismissed, but the thoughts of the equivilant of four 3kw electric fires going while its charging would stop me sleeping at night.
I’ve no idea what the true cost of charging an electric vehicle is, I suspect that there are some “incentives” hidden in the charging costs. If fuel duty was applied to electricity supplied for electric vehicles, there would be some smug faces wiped.
 
Personally I think battery powered vehicles will go the same way as Betamax VHS, laser discs, CD-ROM, steam engines etc. They will be superseded by better technologies before they get chance to mature. Hydrogen fuel cells anyone? There are still 2 fundamental barriers to battery power, the recharge time & duration. Give me a battery that will get me 400 miles towing a 2 tonne boat & recharge in 10 minutes & I’ll show some interest.


I think progress will be quicker than most of us would like to admit. 30 miles range is quickly becoming 300 miles. I think the problem will be sourcing enough metals to produce the vast amount of batteries required worldwide. Which is where hydrogen cells have an advantage as you suggest @Salty Spuds. Also, how does the national grid cope with production and transmission of the extra electrical load.

Just as footnote however, steam was used to power industry and transportation for best part of 250 years, so it had a pretty good innings. Some power stations, nuclear subs still use steam turbines today.
 
I think progress will be quicker than most of us would like to admit. 30 miles range is quickly becoming 300 miles. I think the problem will be sourcing enough metals to produce the vast amount of batteries required worldwide. Which is where hydrogen cells have an advantage as you suggest @Salty Spuds. Also, how does the national grid cope with production and transmission of the extra electrical load.

Just as footnote however, steam was used to power industry and transportation for best part of 250 years, so it had a pretty good innings. Some power stations, nuclear subs still use steam
 
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