VW News: Volkswagen Beetle Could Be Reborn As An EV

[William Maley]

We know that the current Volkswagen Beetle will soon be heading off to the great parking lot in the sky sometime next year, and that a direct replacement will not happen. But there is talk about bringing back the Beetle as an electric vehicle.

Volkswagen's design chief Klaus Bischoff revealed to Autocar that he has already made a sketch of a possible Beetle EV, but it will be some time before the automaker makes a decision whether to move forward with this or not. Some of this comes down Volkswagen wanting to get the bigger-selling electric cars into production first (see I.D. hatchback and  I.D. Crozz) before moving onto the 'emotional' models.

“Our duty is to get the volume [ID] models under way. These cars have super-complicated technology and if you do too much, it’s an overload. Then we [can] move into more exotic cars and the field of emotion,” said Bischoff.

If Volkswagen does give the green light for a Beetle EV, what could it look like? According to Autocar, the model could grow in size and get two extra doors.

“The Beetle of today is a very attractive two-door coupé or convertible, but it is limited in the amount of cars that it can sell because it’s a niche. If you look at MEB, the shortest wheelbase [possible] is the ID [hatchback]. If you took that and did the Beetle on it, you have plenty of room so there’s no compromise in functionality any more. So it could be a very attractive car,” explained Bischoff.

We know there is a fan of an electric Beetle, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess.

“We could [build an electric Beetle], because it is rear-wheel drive, no grille. If we wanted to do a Beetle electrically, it would be much better than the current car. Much closer to the history of the Beetle," Diess told Car and Driver back in October.

Source: Autocar

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[Drew Dowdell]

Sure, why not? It's already a niche vehicle. If they can put enough batteries in it to give it a good range, it should do decent as an EV.   Plus, it's a car people already love even if not a lot are sold.   Also, making it RWD with the batteries up front would make for an interesting profile.. less overhang in front of the front wheels/

[David]

9 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Sure, why not? It's already a niche vehicle. If they can put enough batteries in it to give it a good range, it should do decent as an EV.   Plus, it's a car people already love even if not a lot are sold.   Also, making it RWD with the batteries up front would make for an interesting profile.. less overhang in front of the front wheels/

Plus bring back the original Frunk  

[ocnblu]

Beyond stupid.  It will sell even worse than now.  And LOL on the comment in the article about "volume" in relation to anything electric.   

[Drew Dowdell]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Beyond stupid.  It will sell even worse than now.  And LOL on the comment in the article about "volume" in relation to anything electric.   

Like it or not, platform volume is easier to get with EVs than it is with petroleum-burning ones. Remember GM's skateboard concept?  That was to an extreme, but the idea is right, and we're already heading in that direction.  Tesla only makes two power units and they can drop in and out of a car at the repair shop faster than any gas car.  I think it is under an hour. 

As EVs get closer to the GM Skateboard concept, the number of body variants available will only increase. Eventually, it will be as simple as plopping a different body on the right wheelbase chassis. That's where the volume will come from.

[riviera74]

A VW EV Beetle sounds like a good idea.  Call me when the Atlas is an EV, then I will know they are serious.

[David]

3 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Like it or not, platform volume is easier to get with EVs than it is with petroleum-burning ones. Remember GM's skateboard concept?  That was to an extreme, but the idea is right, and we're already heading in that direction.  Tesla only makes two power units and they can drop in and out of a car at the repair shop faster than any gas car.  I think it is under an hour. 

As EVs get closer to the GM Skateboard concept, the number of body variants available will only increase. Eventually, it will be as simple as plopping a different body on the right wheelbase chassis. That's where the volume will come from.

Totally agree, a blog from a Tesla owner stated the following which I believe to be true: 

This may come to the dismay of “gearheads”, but electric drive trains spell the end of tinkering in the garage the same way that transistors mostly did away with the TV repairman.

https://www.quora.com/Does-a-Tesla-car-have-very-minimal-maintenance-costs

[ocnblu]

Zing... right over your heads... I was not talking about "platform volume", I was talking about sales volume.  Because the so-called electric car revolution still has no legs when it comes to public demand... you know... actual customers who are clamoring to step up and buy these toys.

[David]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Zing... right over your heads... I was not talking about "platform volume", I was talking about sales volume.  Because the so-called electric car revolution still has no legs when it comes to public demand... you know... actual customers who are clamoring to step up and buy these toys.

Nope did not go over our heads, Beetle is not selling in huge volumes and is a perfect ev auto for inner city driving. Should do just fine as a sales volume ev.

[Robert Hall]

Instead of a trendy niche model, this could be the opportunity to go back to the Beetle's roots as a cheap 'people's car'....

'das elektrisch volks wagen'

Edited July 7, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar