Volkswagen is currently immersed in the launch of its ID range, a hugely ambitious family of electric cars ranging from the utility (ID.1) and compact (ID.3) to sedans (ID. Vizzion) and vans (ID. Buzz), without forgetting, of course, the popular SUV (ID.4, ID. Roomzz, etc.).
The company has long since registered all denominations from ID.1 to ID.9, as well as their all-rounder equivalents (ID.X). However, now the German firm has registered some more “classic” flavor nomenclatures: e-Beetle, e-Karmann, e-Golf Classic, e-Samba, and e-Kübel. What are these names referring to?
Everything seems to indicate that Volkswagen will use them in its future range of reconverted classics. For example, from the hand of the specialist eClassics, the German giant has already developed electric versions of its mythical Beetle (the famous Beetle sold from 1938 to 2003) and Transporter T1 (the popular hippie van from the 50s and 60s).
Renamed e-Beetle, the electrified Beetle, has a battery of up to 36.8 kWh (the same that we can find in the e-up!), Thanks to which it reaches a range of 124 miles per charge. The car, which is capable of 0 to 50 km/h in less than 4 seconds and 0 to 80 km/h in just over 8 seconds, manages to achieve an impressive top speed of 150 km/h after conversion. Also, it has a CCS Combo quick charge socket.
In the case of the e-Bulli, the name given to the converted T1, the customer is left to choose between two engines (one 83 hp and the other 101 hp) and two batteries (one 35 kWh and the other 45 kWh, the latter being exclusively associated with the highest capacity pack). The maximum autonomy is also 124 miles and the top speed of 130 km/h (electronically limited). The van can access fast charges (CCS Combo format) in a direct current of 50 kW, recovering 80% of its autonomy in 40 minutes.
While the e-Beetle has already been introduced and the name e-Transporter is likely to be used in markets where e-Bulli doesn’t quite sound good, e-Karmann, e-Golf Classic, and e-Kübel seem to refer to versions electric of the classic Karmann-Ghia, Golf Mk1, and Kübelwagen, three of the most iconic Volkswagen models.
The Karmann-Ghia was a beautiful sports car derived from the Beetle that can probably be coupled to the e-Beetle’s powertrain without too much trouble (possibly the e-Karmann name is because Volkswagen owns the Karmann bodybuilder, but not the Ghia design house, currently owned by Ford).
Something similar occurs with the Kübelwagen, a military vehicle of the Second World War based on the Beetle (although Volkswagen possibly refers to its civilian version, called Type 181 and popularly known as Safari, Thing, or Trekker, which was sold in 1968 to 1980 to compete against the Citroën Mehari and Renault Rodeo, among others). The Golf of the first generation, on the other hand, needs no introduction, being a true icon of the 70s that apparently will receive a second life from the hand of electrification.