Volkswagen Microbus to be revealed in January
Kombi set to be unveiled at CES Las Vegas, will enter production 2017Volkswagen is set to reveal a close-to-production Microbus concept at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, according to a new report.
The production version of the long-awaited spiritual successor to the Type 2 Kombi or Microbus will then be built at Volkswagen’s Puebla factory in Mexico in 2017, reveals Autocar.
Instead of a petrol or diesel powertrain, the new Microbus will be built using the latest Volkswagen Group lithium-ion battery technology that should provide a range of 400-500km.
Conventional small turbocharged petrol and diesel engine will also be offered.
Earlier this year in April a senior VW exec confirmed both engineers and designers were working on a new concept for the Kombi that could draw heavy influence from the 2011 Bulli concept launched at the Geneva motor show.
Back in 2011, the Bulli was powered by a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that sat below the floor. With an electric motor that produced 85kW, the concept was capable of a 0-100km/h sprint in 11.5 seconds with a top speed of 130km/h.
The battery range, meanwhile, was 300km -- 100km less than the upcoming production car, reflecting the advances in battery technology over the last four years.
The reason for resurrecting plans to make a production versions of the Bulli concept is to improve VW sales in the US market, says Autocar.
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