Volkswagen has confirmed that the all-electric Budd-e minibus revealed at the consumer electronics show will go into full time production by 2020.
The minibus features a design similar to Volkswagen’s earlier van and expects to revive the market with its unique approach. It will probably appeal to frequent travelers and people who may need more cargo space for a large family. Making it electric future proofs the vehicle from fading out of context. Most auto manufacturers are focusing on creating electric vehicles so as to overcome emission issues.
Volkswagen has confirmed that the new wagon will be built on the MEB modular platform. The car looks a lot like the microbus and the company has added that they aim to transfer most of the design elements into the final production.
Talking to a leading auto magazine, electronic department head Volkmar Tanneberger said, “We are aiming to build a car that exactly looks like the concept car showcased at CES. Right now, there is no word on when it will actually go into production, but it could probably in 2020 or earlier. A lot of technical aspects should be taken into account before we finalize the production version which is why the delay”.
During the CES show, Volkswagen confirmed that the Budd-e is powered by a 101 kWh battery pack. Two different battery powered electric motors are used in the car, with each one of them powering the front axle and the rear axle respectively. It allows the car to achieve top speeds besides providing better mileage by splitting the power generated.
The maximum top speed that the Budd-e van can achieve is pegged at 150 kilometers per hour. It has an amazing mile range as well as Volkswagen confirmed the van could travel 595 kilometers on a single charge. The figures are still in the early stages and it can be confirmed only when the van goes into production.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen’s wing, Audi, is also working on building electric motors powerful enough to help their sedans run long distances. While it is not clear whether the automobile industry wants to eradicate gasoline, they are definitely doing their best to remove diesel off the charts. Volkswagen’s diesel emission scandal was the first step that made manufacturers opt for electric motors and start working on EVs.
Tesla has announced that their cheaper Model 3 will be available in 2018 which has set the clock ticking for everyone else.
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