Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said it will introduce a larger usable battery and additional upgrades for its electric Transporter and Caravelle vans, aligning the models with recent changes announced by partner Ford Motor for the E-Transit Custom.
The German unit said the electric Transporter and Caravelle will now feature a net usable battery capacity of 70 kilowatt-hours, up from 64 kWh previously, lifting the WLTP driving range to as much as 380 kilometres, an increase of about 13%. The vehicles are produced as part of a long-standing cooperation with Ford Motor at a plant in Turkey, where the E-Transit Custom and E-Tourneo Custom are also manufactured.
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Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles did not detail how the higher usable capacity was achieved. However, Ford previously indicated that the improvement does not involve a physical change to the battery pack. A Ford spokesperson said in December that the company would “utilise a higher proportion of the battery’s energy content” going forward, adding: “This means the battery size remains unchanged, but the usable capacity increases.” Existing vehicles equipped with the 64 kWh battery cannot be upgraded to the higher usable capacity via software, the companies have said.
In addition to the range increase, the updated models will benefit from an improved charging curve. While peak DC charging power remains at 125 kW, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said higher output can now be sustained for longer, cutting the 10–80% charging time to around 30 minutes. The company said a 10-minute charging stop can add enough energy for roughly 100 kilometres of driving. Existing vehicles are expected to receive charging improvements via software updates, depending on the variant.
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From early 2026, the electric Transporter will also be offered with an all-wheel-drive system, branded “4Motion”, combining the rear-mounted motor with an additional electric unit on the front axle. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said the setup allows rapid, demand-based torque distribution to improve traction on slippery or unpaved surfaces. The all-wheel-drive option will be available across three output levels—100 kW, 160 kW and 210 kW—matching the rear-wheel-drive lineup.
Prices for the updated models are already visible in Volkswagen’s online configurator, although the company has not formally published a full price list. The e-Transporter panel van with the larger battery starts at about €59,369, rising to roughly €65,260 for the all-wheel-drive version, while the electric Caravelle starts at around €66,081, with the 4Motion variant priced at nearly €71,971.