Orders open for Volkswagen’s first electric van

The ABT eTransporter starts from £42,060 excluding VAT.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has opened order books for its first electric van in the UK.

The ABT eTransporter 6.1 starts from £42,060 excluding VAT, and is available with a zero per cent finance option.

The battery pack has been fitted beneath the floor so it doesn’t eat into the 6.7 cubic-metre cargo bay, which has a payload of up to 996kg. It provides a range of up to 82 miles and can be recharged to 80 per cent in 45 minutes at a 50kW charger.

The electric motor makes 109bhp and it can go from 0-60mph in 17.2 seconds.

On-board equipment sees a 6.5-inch infotainment system with DAB radio added as standard equipment alongside Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and two USB-C interfaces in the dashboard. Meanwhile, safety systems include front assist with city emergency braking system, rear parking sensors and crosswind assist.

Prices start at £42,060 excluding VAT for the panel van, with prices increasing to £45,360 for the Advance trim. Opt for the kombi crew van and the trim prices start at £46,375 and £49,985 respectively.

Buyers that put down at least a 40 per cent deposit have access to a zero per cent finance offer, which would put prices at £415 per month for the entry van.

Additional equipment included on the Advance trim includes 17-inch alloy wheels, electrically foldable door mirrors, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, heated windscreen and parking sensors.