Volkswagen creates electric classic Beetle
VW has just revealed an expensive, small car that can be driven for around 200km on one charge of its batteries. But it’s not modern at all — instead, it’s one of the most iconic cars of all time. The Beetle has gone electric.
Stuffing batteries and emotors into classic cars is nothing new. Jaguar and Aston Martin already offer factory-ready conversions of, respectively, the E-Type and DB6, and Irish company Electrifi is busily converting everything from Fiats to Ferraris to electric power.
An e-Beetle is something different, though. The car that put post-war Europe on wheels, fully sanctioned by the factory, converted to electric power possesses a power of iconography that no modern electric car can hope to match.
Okay, so it lacks the crumple zones, airbags, and expansive digital integration that the new Honda E can provide, but which one is cuddlier? Which one is downright more desirable?
“The electrified Beetle combines the charm of our classic car with the mobility of the future. Innovative e-components from Volkswagen Group Components are under the bonnet – we work with them to electrify historically important vehicles, in what is an emotional process,” explained Thomas Schmall, VW’s Head of Components. “We are also providing Beetle owners with a professional conversion solution, using production parts of the highest quality.”
The electric motor and single-speed transmission are integrated into the Beetle bodyshell by specialist conversion company eClassics, at the behest of Volkswagen itself. The electric components come from the existing EV version of the Up hatchback, the little-seen e-Up (a renewed version of which is being shown at Frankfurt but which isn’t coming to Ireland).
There’s a 36.8kWh battery pack, which grants that rather useful 200km one-charge range, and while the weight of the Beetle has increased significantly — to 1,280kg — performance is also rather improved.
The electric motor has 82hp, and that’s enough to shove this classic Beetle to 50km/h in 8.0secs, and on to a potential top speed of 150km/h (VW doesn’t quote a 0-100km/h time, oddly).
VW claims that once you run the battery flat, fast-charging tech means it can be topped up to around a 150km range in an hour.
VW isn’t going to stop at just the Beetle conversion, either. Schmall said: “We are already working together to prepare the platform for the Type 2 Bus. An e-Porsche 356 could also be pursued in the future.”
It’s even possible that the 500km range MEB electric system could be shoe-horned into a classic model (please, please, a Type 3 square back…).
“We are proud that we and Volkswagen Group Components could get the show on the road with this project. We are also looking forward to seeing many e-Beetles on the street soon,” said the two managing directors of eClassics GmbH & Co KG; Dennis Murschel and Martin Acevedo.