Dealers excited for new Volkswagen Multivan 7 PHEV 

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles New Zealand (VWCVNZ) general manager Kevin Richards says the 20-strong New Zealand dealer network have given the new Multivan 7 PHEV a rapturous reception, even those who normally take a while to warm up to a new product. 

Richards says the network has eagerly embraced the first of Volkswagen Commercial’s electrified models, which offers seating for seven and is based on the MQB passenger platform.  

He also confirmed that the fully electric I.D Buzz and I.D Buzz Cargo will arrive in market in 2023, as production has been confirmed for late 2022 by the factory.  

For the remainder of 2022, the New Zealand market has been allocated 100 Multivan 7 PHEV units of which 40 have been presold, and of those four were ordered online, according to VWCVNZ national sales manager Scott Duggan. 

The Multivan 7 PHEV range opens with the Family model priced at $78,800 which will qualify for the $5750 Clean Car discount. The limited edition run of 30 upscale Energetic models will retail from $106,000. It will be replaced by a Life variant when available 

Richards and Duggan both say VWCVNZ spent considerable effort to negotiate with the factory to achieve a sub $80k price for the Family model to be able to claim the government rebate. 

There will be 4Motion all-wheel-drive diesel versions of the Multivan 7 coming in 2023, in Family and Life specification.  

For VWCVNZ the Multivan 7 PHEV is the brands first step to full electric vehicles, and broadens the brands appeal to environmentally conscious customers. 

The PHEV offers a towing capacity of 1600kg and the 1.4-litre petrol-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain is exactly the same as found in the Skoda Superb iV. 

Under WLTP phase four the fuel consumption is quoted at 1.7L/100km and CO2 emissions are  37g/km. According to VWCVNZ the Multivan 7 PHEV offers a pure electric range of up to 50km.  

It has a Type 2 plug and charging at home is around six hours depending on current draw.