The Volkswagen Beetle will return with battery power
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Volkswagen killed the Beetle in July, but it’s already bringing it back to life.
(VW)
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.
(VW)
The new equipment adds about 1,000 lbs. to the Beetle’s weight and is good for 124 miles of driving between charges.
(VW)
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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Volkswagen spokesperson could not confirm if the eBeetle will be offered in the U.S.