Volkswagen Conversion Kit Lets You Electrify Your Hippie Van
If you wanted an electric hippie bus but don’t want a brand new vehicle, Volkswagen has a keen solution. Their E-Bulli conversion kit will take your classic bus and bring it into the 21st century.
We’ve previously covered the Volkswagen I.D. Buzz, a brand new creation with a 369-horsepower, all-wheel electric drive and a 270-mile range. It’s also “the world’s first fully autonomous multi-purpose vehicle,” according to the company, and its 111 kWh battery can be charged to 80% in 30 minutes at a charge rate of 150 kW.
The E-Bulli isn’t quite so beefy, but it is … a stopgap solution? A cheaper alternative? We can’t be sure. At least not yet.
The electric motor sports 81 horsepower, and the 45 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery will take it about 124 miles on a single charge (vs. 270 miles for the I.D. Buzz). They both charge about as quickly, but the range and power discrepancy is huge.
This would all be fine if the E-Bulli was the thrifty option. But according to CNET, a full conversion will run about 70K. Volkswagen hasn’t announced pricing for the I.D. Buzz, but both it and the E-Bulli seem to be moving beyond the spirit of the original hippie van.
See more here: https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/volkswagen-e-bulli-electric-classic-bus/
