Volkswagen has introduced a new plug-in hybrid powertrain to its Multivan lineup. The Multivan eHybrid 4Motion replaces the previous PHEV version by adding all-wheel drive.
Under the hood is a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that works in conjunction with two electric motors. With an electric motor on each axle, the Multivan eHybrid now has all-wheel drive.
It now uses a battery with a capacity of 19.7 kWh, which is almost twice the capacity of the previous model. It supports 11 kW AC charging and 50 kW DC fast charging. Multivan eHybrid 4Motion has an electric range of up to 95 km.
Up to a speed of 64 km/h, the rear-wheel drive electric motor is always activated to provide all-wheel drive «starting support». Interestingly, the rear axle motor works even when the battery is discharged. In this case, the power required for the electric drive is automatically generated by the TSI gasoline engine and the front electric motor, which acts as a generator.
With the help of a decoupling unit, the rear-wheel drive motor can be automatically disconnected by the hybrid system to increase efficiency under normal traction conditions.
The new eHybrid 4Motion powertrain will be available in the Multivan and California models.
Source: fleetnews
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