The price list starts at 44,839 euros, for which a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 100 kW (136 hp) is available, but with 220 Newton metres of peak torque it really marks the base. More powerful is the TSI with a capacity of two litres and 204 hp (150 kW), which offers a maximum torque of 320 Nm. This variant costs from 49,932 euros. The current top model is the 1.4-litre e-hybrid, whose combustion engine produces 150 hp (110 kW); in combination with its electric counterpart, it produces a system output of 218 hp (160 kW) and 350 Nm of torque. So far, only the front wheels are driven, an all-wheel drive is planned.
The e-Hybrid's lithium drive battery has a capacity of 10.4 kWh and is sufficient for 46 to 50 kilometres of purely electric driving. It charges in around three and a half hours on a 3.6 kW charger and within five hours on a 2.3 kW charger. An automatic dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) is always on board; in the case of the Hybrid Bulli, it has six gears and has been specially developed for this form of drive. The petrol engines, and the diesel with 150 hp (110 kW), will cost 48,748 euros from next year, and are equipped with a seven-speed DSG.
Interior
Enough of the theory, let's dive in. First we notice that it is not as high as the T6.1 and its predecessors, the driver sits lower than before, but the step is not smaller, not to accommodate the height, but the width of the door sill has to be overcome. This is not uncomfortable, just different from before. Once you reach the steering wheel, you are greeted by a pleasant feeling of space; the cockpit is tidy, the dashboard both smooth and flat. Volkswagen's new interior design is probably intended to show that the comparison here is more with the Golf and co. The Bulli simply no longer presents to be a commercial vehicle, not even a light one.
There are plenty of reasons for that; VW has slimmed down the Multivan considerably, more than 200 kilograms have been saved. The front mudguards have lost weight thanks to an aluminium insert, the chassis has been tweaked and the most pleasant relief are the new seats. Depending on the version, they weigh between 23 to 29 kilograms, 25 percent less than those in the previous Multivan meaning that installation and removal are therefore easier. The currently lightest version of the T7 weighs 1941 kilograms in total.
Plug-in Hybrid
The e-hybrid starts like most of its kind, namely silently. The powertrain only communicates its readiness via the signal lights, the electric parking brake must be released, and then the electric motor in particular (its potential is a hefty 86 kW /115 hp) gets the Multivan going; however, the urge to accelerate is not very sustainable. While the T7 e-Hybrid is the king of the city when starting at traffic lights, it loses its power when sprinting on country roads from 80 km/h. It takes 11.6 seconds for the standard sprint, 2.2 seconds more than the 2.0 TSI, which completes the exercise in 9.4 seconds. It cannot keep up with the top speed either, reaching a top speed of 190 km/h; whereas the powerful petrol engine is ten kilometres per hour faster.
This does not detract from the driving pleasure, in fact on the contrary, the hybrid Bulli pleases with its ability to creep up slowly and, above all, almost silently. To make sure it doesn't scare anyone with its silent approach, it makes whirring noises when travelling slowly. When the pace picks up, the good suspension comfort comes at the expense of driving stability. Although the Bulli 7.0 can hardly be thrown out of a bend, the body does lean noticeably towards the outer edge of the bend. In fast combinations, it becomes quite unsteady, but who wants to accelerate a family van through the bends? …
For the driver, the question of consumption is more important; as with all plug-in hybrids, the fuel consumption figures are rather window dressing. 1.5 litres of petrol is supposed to be enough for the electrified Bulli for the first 100 kilometres with a fully charged battery. The 7.25 kWh it contributed are not reflected in the calculation, regardless of whether the charging current was generated from green energy or coal. At least for the distances beyond the measured distance, a significantly higher consumption is to be expected; we predict about seven litres, which is still not too much. According to the consumption standard, the small petrol engine gets 6.6 litres over 100 kilometres, the more powerful one demands 7.6 litres of petrol.
In addition to the smooth tuning, the crisp brakes and above all the extremely precise steering, the driver's seating position has become even more similar to that in a saloon car; the visibility is given and the passengers in the rear travel in the highest comfort. They enter through two electrically opening sliding doors, and the modular seating concept allows for a wide variety of configurations. For additional comfort the outer seats can even be heated via the rail system in the floor.
When loaded to the roof, 469 litres of luggage fit behind the last row of seats; when all the chairs are removed, up to 3,672 litres can be accommodated. The body of the long-wheelbase version has been extended by 20 centimetres to 5.17 metres and can even accommodate 763 to 4053 litres with an identical wheelbase.
A new feature is the 1.8-square-metre panoramic glass roof, and Car-2-Car hazard alerts will also be possible in future. Three trims, Multivan, Life (from 48,784 euros) and Style (from 60,761 euros) are offered, the long-wheelbase version costs at least 1,862 euros extra. The safety assistants are assembled in a team, always including the city emergency brake, evasion assistance and turn-off assistant, traffic sign and drowsiness detection as well as the lane departure warning system. (aum/mk)
