SongSan Summer combines VW T1 looks with hybrid power

SongSan – SS for short – is a BYD-owned Chinese automotive brand that showed us a retro-styled van named Summer a while ago. The concept car unashamedly copied the VW Type 2 bus (generation T1) popular in Europe in the mid-20th century, and the production model revealed this week does exactly the same.

The SongSan Summer sports a rising roof, sliding doors at both sides, and swing doors at the rear with a spare wheel fastened to one of them. A retro-themed trailer with the same roof design is available, too.

Power comes from a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-pot, an electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The front axle receives up to 320 PS (316 hp / 235 kW) along with 475 Nm (350 lb-ft) of torque. A 17-kWh traction battery gives the van up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) of electric range, while a 50-liter gas tank yields up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of hybrid driving.

The cabin follows a 2+3+2 seating formula and comes trimmed with leather. There is a digital dash display combined with an infotainment screen, and the front passenger gets a separate display as well. The rear seats can be arranged into a sleeping area.

Prices begin from 288,000 Chinese Yuan (ca. $45,000 USD), and customer deliveries are scheduled to start next summer.