Whether you’re a tie-dye wearing hippie or just an iconic automobile enthusiast who cares about the environment, you’d likely rejoice at the prospect of a classic Volkswagen Beetle with a fully electric powertrain. Well, Volkswagen Group Components recently partnered with the German automotive retrofitter eClassics to create just that.
Beginning with a vintage Beetle frame, VGC and eClassics used the 36.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, the 81hp electric motor, and the one-speed gearbox from the state-of-the-art VW e-Up to develop the Volkswagen e-Beetle. The result is a stunning historic vehicle that can drive nearly 125 miles on a single charge.
Need to go further? No problem. After a brief, hour-long recharge, the Volkswagen e-Beetle can easily travel an additional 92 miles. The electric powertrain doesn’t sacrifice speed either. With 80 hp, the e-Beetle can go from 0 to 30 mph in less than 4 seconds and from 0 to 50mph in just over 8 seconds.