Volkswagen has revealed another all-electric I.D. concept at the IAA Commercial Vehicle show in Hannover, with the debut of the I.D. Buzz Cargo. The new concept is a panel van version of the I.D. Buzz people carrier, but the back seats have been replaced by a racking system that has been tailor made for the Cargo model. The automated racks slide electrically and their contents are checked automatically via a tablet. Also included is a 230-Volt plug socket, which allows users to connect tools and power them via the van's battery pack, rather than needing supplementary power.
But the I.D. Buzz Cargo was just one of five new vehicles unveiled by VW Commercial Vehicles in Hannover. At the smaller end of the spectrum, the Cargo e-Bike is a more traditional alternative to the Renault Twizy. This electrically assisted tricycle has a 250 Watt motor and can travel at speeds of up to 15mph. It's designed as a more appealing 'last-mile' delivery vehicle, and can carry a 0.5 cubic metre box on the front pallet, which remains upright when the e-Bike is cornering.
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Of more significance was the unveiling of the production-ready e-Caddy and e-Transporter vans. These two models have been developed in conjunction with Formula E racing team Abt, and feature a 110bhp electric motor. The 37.3kWh battery in the e-Caddy gives it a quoted range of 137 miles, while the 4,2 cubic metres of load space in the back mean it will be one of the most versatile EVs on sale. VW revealed the e-Caddy and e-Transporter in German taxi spec, as they are both expected to be popular with private hire users.
The e-Transporter completes the electric VW van range, slotting in between the new e-Caddy and existing e-Crafter. Again Abt is involved in the van's development, but this time there are two variants on offer - one with a 37.3 kWh battery, and one with a 74.6 kWh battery. This means there's a driving range of 130 or 250 miles respectively, although the scalable battery tech on board means other capacities can be included.
Finally, the Crafter HyMotion is a hydrogen fuel cell version of the e-Crafter large van which adds integrated a 7.5kg hydrogen tank. This gives the e-Crafter a range of 311 miles, while charging the tank should only take as long as it would filling a conventional diesel Crafter.
Read our review of the VW Crafter van here...
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