Volkswagen to end Beetle line of cars
Volkswagen announced their plans to discontinue the vintage Beetle.
Volkswagen killed the Beetle in July, but it’s already bringing it back to life.
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That is to say, it’s resurrecting the original Type 1 Beetle as an electric car.
The automaker has teamed up with a German outfit called eClassics to develop a factory-approved conversion for the classic it calls the eKäfer, which is German for eBeetle.
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The extensively engineered swap uses the drivetrain and battery pack from a European electric Volkswagen model called the e-up! (exclamation point included) and comes with an 81 hp motor that’s so much more compact than the Beetle’s four-cylinder engine that it leaves room for a rear trunk.
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The new equipment adds about 1,000 lbs. to the Beetle’s weight and is good for 124 miles of driving between charges.
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Pricing and availability haven't’ been announced, but a prototype for the vehicle will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week and Volkswagen said it is also working on a similar package for the vintage Microbus, even as it plans an all-electric modern reboot of the model.
A Volkswagen spokesperson could not confirm if the eBeetle will be offered in the U.S.