by Gabrielle DeSantis

Volkswagen introduced its all-new T7 transporter van yesterday. It looks like it could be a hit in the US. Except that it won’t be sold here. Why is it that the Volkswagens we want, like the T7 van, we can’t have? But dirty diesel sedans masquerading as “clean diesel” is what we get instead.

The VW van presence in the US has been on and off over the years

The new T7 Multivan is a direct descendant of the beloved Microbus of the 1950s and 1960s. But Volkswagen has had a spotty record when it comes to these vans in the US. After the T4 there was a period of nothing before VW chose to rebadge Dodge Caravans. 

As you can imagine, they didn’t do well. So we expect that the record of that failure has made VW reluctant to offer its vans here. But especially the camper versions of its T6 would have been a welcome addition here as there is nothing like it. 

What’s new with the 2022 VW Multivan?

What makes the Multivan more compelling is that it now comes as a plug-in hybrid. The 1.4-liter TSI inline-four is combined with an 85 kW electric motor for a combined 215 hp.  The 13 kWh lithium-ion battery gets mounted to the floor adding handling stability to the boxy van. 

Traditional engines are still available as well with the 1.5-liter or 2-liter TSI gas engine, and diesel power, too. All get hooked to a seven-speed automatic. If VW were to consider Multivan sales here it could forget the diesel. 

Inside, bench second and third-row seating is gone. It is replaced with individual rear seats. A center console that can be utilized or flooded out of the way is also part of the package. Bigger screens, a head-up display, and stylish interiors make you forget this is a van.

VW vans look like VW vans-a good thing

On the outside, it is an evolution of both the previous T5 and T6 Multivan. With the abrupt rear, the chiseled line below the belt, and honest windows defining the sides, the VW vans have maintained their readily identifiable looks. A VW van looks like a VW van.

And that is not a bad thing. We seem to be at this point in van evolution where the traditional minivan market is being abandoned. Other than Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai, your choices are a small city van like the Ford Transit Connect, or the traditional large van like the old Ford E-Series or Ram Promaster. 

VW has the reputation, history, and means to market the Multivan successfully here

And of the former, the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna minivans can get a bit pricey. So the landscape looks welcoming for another traditional minivan in the vein of the Odyssey and Sienna. But one that is 10-20 percent cheaper. VW has the reputation, history, and means to do that with the Multivan. 

Unfortunately, it has made it fairly clear it is not interested in making the new Multivan available here. We’ll have to wait a few more years until the ID Buzz retro van makes its way here. If it does well, it may open the door for the T7 in a few more years. 

RELATED: History of the Volkswagen Bus

The post We Want the New VW T7 Van, But We Get Dirty Diesel Instead appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Formula 1 isn’t exactly known for being green, but the company has been trying to change that in the past few years. There is a new push for sustainability in the sport, which has brought a lot of changes. But along with the changes means an increase in safety measures that ultimately protect the driver and the whole Formula 1 sport. If that’s the case, the heavier car seems worth it.

Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1 and the push for sustainability

RaceFans says that ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season, the minimum weight of the cars is slated to increase to 1,741 pounds (790kg). That’s an increase of 83 pounds (38kg) over last year and 110 pounds (50kg) over the last three seasons. Formula 1 has set a goal of being a net-zero carbon producer by 2030, but are the cars going to be able to fall in line with that goal?

Lewis Hamilton, driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, questioned whether or not this is the right decision. He noted that adding weight to the cars each year seems counterproductive to that goal. ” “I don’t understand particularly why we go heavier when there’s all this talk about being more sustainable, the sport going in that direction.”

Since 2014, the F1 cars have gained about 200 pounds (100kg) for various reasons. Many of these are safety-related, which makes sense, but are the cars gaining anything else?

The Formula 1 turbo hybrid car era

In 2014, the sport headed in a new direction. This was the start of the Formula 1 turbo hybrid era. Hamilton noted that he felt the cars back before the 2014 change were more nimble and easier to drive. He also said the cars were not as big which made maneuvering around the track a bit easier.

“On the tracks we’re going to, they’re getting wider, like [Baku] is quite wide and in places, of course it’s narrower, in other places. But Monaco was always relatively impossible to pass – now the car is so big that it’s too big for the track.”

Lewis Hamilton | RaceFans

Along with the cars being too wide for some tracks, the extra weight adds stress to the tires and brakes. This also means more energy on the track and even shuttling the cars to and from locations. Every other weekend, the cars, teams, drivers, and every other piece of equipment hike to a new location.

Perhaps some of the new technology companies like Porsche have been working on are the answer. The brand has been working on a carbon-neutral fuel that would help make the cars more “green” and efficient. That appears to be part of the change planned for 2025, but what sacrifices will be made for that? Is it weight, expense, or a slower car?

If safer F1 cars are the result, is that worth the weight?

The other side of the coin is about how the extra weight is needed. The halo safety feature is a necessity these days to keep drivers safe. In fact, Romain Grosjean credits the halo device with saving his life. Formula 1 also added extra fuel for the new hybrid engines.

Before 2020, drivers had to remain under a certain weight. F1 increased the weight limit of the drivers to a minimum of 176 pounds along with the seat for that season. The cars have also been made of better materials for the 2021 season, over the uber-light carbon fiber previously used. This added weight but also made the cars more durable. There is another change ahead for the 2025 season and the new regulations.

It does seem that some parts of the sport are moving in a different direction in the last few years. Will the next season bring a more harmonious meeting of sustainability and Formula 1 as we knew it? That might still be a few years off while the rest of the kinks get worked out behind the scenes.

RELATED: The New Red Bull Racing RB16B Formula 1 Car Made a Few Fundamental Improvements

The post Lewis Hamilton: Are Formula 1 Cars at Odds With Sustainability Push? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.