Photo: Volkswagen
Earlier this year, the Volkswagen Beetle nameplate bit the dust again, possibly for good this time. The German carmaker decided to stop producing the successor of the original car, putting an end to what has become one of the most important nameplates in auto history. But at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, the Beetle returns.
This time, Volkswagen will try a new approach. Using the electric drivetrain of the e-up! and the help of specialist company eClassics, the carmaker plans to come up with a conversion kit that could give new life to historic Beetles.
The e-up! drivetrain is comprised of a 36.8 kWh battery, an electric motor (82 hp), and a single-speed transmission. In the e-Beetle, it should allow for a range of 200 km (124 miles) and a top speed of 150 kph (93 mph).
The recharge time for the battery - for a range of 150 km - is about one hour using fast charging.
A near-production version of the e-Beetle (the one shown in the gallery above) will be presented by Volkswagen starting next week in Frankfurt.
The decision to provide this solution for older Beetle owners was made because of the increasing interest in converting ICE cars into electric ones. Volkswagen says it got itself involved in this because owners should have “a professional conversion solution, using production parts of the highest quality.”
The carmaker did not say how old the Beetles need to be to get converted using this system, but it did hint to the possibility of some other historic cars, including the Porsche 356, getting the same treatment.
“We are already working together to prepare the platform for the Bus. An e-Porsche 356 could also be pursued in the future,” said in a statement Thomas Schmall, the head of Volkswagen Group Components.
No pricing has been yet announced for the conversion kit.
The e-up! drivetrain is comprised of a 36.8 kWh battery, an electric motor (82 hp), and a single-speed transmission. In the e-Beetle, it should allow for a range of 200 km (124 miles) and a top speed of 150 kph (93 mph).
The recharge time for the battery - for a range of 150 km - is about one hour using fast charging.
A near-production version of the e-Beetle (the one shown in the gallery above) will be presented by Volkswagen starting next week in Frankfurt.
The decision to provide this solution for older Beetle owners was made because of the increasing interest in converting ICE cars into electric ones. Volkswagen says it got itself involved in this because owners should have “a professional conversion solution, using production parts of the highest quality.”
The carmaker did not say how old the Beetles need to be to get converted using this system, but it did hint to the possibility of some other historic cars, including the Porsche 356, getting the same treatment.
“We are already working together to prepare the platform for the Bus. An e-Porsche 356 could also be pursued in the future,” said in a statement Thomas Schmall, the head of Volkswagen Group Components.
No pricing has been yet announced for the conversion kit.
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