VW Touran to be replaced by electric van
Friday, 17 April 2020
With people buying SUVs over almost everything else, the humble minivan has found itself on death row. Volkswagen knows this and is looking to phase out its Sharan and Touran people movers.
However, those looking for a non-SUV multi-purpose vehicle still have something to look forward to. VW is working on the all-electric ID Buzz to occupy the minivan slot in the German's line-up.
Volkswagen's board member for research and development, Frank Welsch, spoke to Autocar UK recently and confirmed the Buzz will take over from the Touran.
'Some people would say the Touran is a boring car, but it has great efficiency, great value for money [and is] great for family.'
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He added: 'Now we have other concepts, such as the Tiguan Allspace seven-seat SUV. And we have prepared for the next generation with the ID family, including the ID Buzz, which we are developing now. These are the real successors of Touran.
'The Buzz has a lot of space. It's great-looking. The production version is even better than the concept. It's the best of the Touran.'
The ID Buzz is a spiritual successor to the Microbus. It will ride on VW's electric-only MEB architecture and offer a max range closing in on 600km in top trim. The all-wheel-drive concept version was powered by two electric motors - one on each axle - providing a total output of 275kW. A rear-wheel drive version uses a single electric motor with 125kW and smaller capacity battery is also planned.
Self-driving tech will also be part and parcel, allowing for at least Level 2 autonomy.
Autocar UK reckons we could see the Buzz by 2022. The van is part of Volkswagen Group's 'Together Strategy 2025' plan, which involves the firm investing over $10 billion into the development more than 30 battery-powered models across its various brands, including Audi, Skoda and Seat, by 2025.
In local VW news, the New Zealand arm announced its new 2D logo as part of a brand overhaul. This includes a new female brand voice and a fresh website, while each dealership will get a revamp in the coming months as NZ exits the Level 4 lockdown.