VW to electrify bugs/T1/356

I certainly hope they'll use cars that need a restoration instead of pristine examples of classic cars. I do somewhat like the idea, but isn't the VW e-up! drivetrain completely mediocre at best? I wonder what would be the theoretical top speed of an electric T1, considering the standard e-up! goes up to 130 km/h and that the T1 is a van with 50's van aerodynamics?

Oh, and an electric 356 is just nope. The Beetle and T1 were once commonspread economical vehicles, but the 356 is a fairly rare sports car, a slow sports car, and not a purebred one, but a rare and very coveted sports car nevertheless.
 
an original T1 couldn't go faster than 80kmh anyway :D

i don't think they're aiming for people to replace their daily, but maybe take some customer from the golfcart crowd?
 
That is probably the case. Although I imagine a fully restored electric Beetle would work as a daily for many people. Especially if they provided a decent servicing network for them. But then, financially, that wouldn't be very profitable.
 
Okay, I actually think this is pretty cool. Later-production Beetles are common as dirt, it was the best selling car in the world, it's not like anything is really going to be lost by taking a less desirable model and converting it to electric. I would love to have something cool and fun for around-town use instead of taking the motorcycle - especially in days of inclement weather.
 
Electric car from a company known for faulty electrics? What could possibly go wrong?
 
Dunno where you get that idea from. I work in the vehicle salvage industry and while VAG products are renowned for certain things, dodgy electrics isn't one of them.
 
Kiki had a New Beetle when we started dating. I can tell you that the electrics in that vehicle are 100% USDA Prime Bullshit. Blake brought a brand new Audi through my town going from LA to Detroit, with one day of driving he already had a list of all the electrical things that were wrong with the car ranging from turn signals that worked randomly (both turning on and not working when you want them to) to Lucas Electrics level of windscreen wipers, computer problems, infotainment crashes, gauge faults, etc. That was after one day in the car.
 
Dunno where you get that idea from. I work in the vehicle salvage industry and while VAG products are renowned for certain things, dodgy electrics isn't one of them.

Story over here is rather different. Faulty electrics is stupidly common on VAGs over here - even the Euro-made ones.

Perhaps yours terminally rust before the electrics can go?
 
Most common issue we see is on the 2.0 PD engines where the hex shaft driving the oil pump wears out and idiots carry on driving with the oil light on thinking they just need to top up the oil at some point.

Other than that it's the usual timing failure due to poor maintenance but the electrics are, in the main, reliable.

I've scrapped Audis with the 1.9PD engine that are still running and driving fine with 450k miles on the clock.
 
Most common issue we see is on the 2.0 PD engines where the hex shaft driving the oil pump wears out and idiots carry on driving with the oil light on thinking they just need to top up the oil at some point.

Other than that it's the usual timing failure due to poor maintenance but the electrics are, in the main, reliable.

I've scrapped Audis with the 1.9PD engine that are still running and driving fine with 450k miles on the clock.

And yet we have things like the extremely common Audi TT (and other VAG product) battery cable/fuse box meltdown.
https://mechanics.stackexchange.com/questions/19445/fuse-box-above-battery-melting


There's nigh endless lists of modern VW electrical problems over here. One case in point: https://www.truedelta.com/2017-Volkswagen-Golf/electrical-problems-279




Below average reliability: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/volkswagen/golf/2016

 
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Perhaps yours terminally rust before the electrics can go?
I dunno man there are a lot of em in the salt belt with a ton of electrical issues. Hell my Audi had a bunch of TSBs for electrical issues.

@MWF VW electrics are so commonly faulty that it's become a meme, not unlike Mustang crashes
3556182
 
If they call it the bug zapper I’m sold. Randomly electrocuting the driver gives it character. Like my MG catching on fire.
 
There are so many classic Beetles left that converting a bunch of them to EV drive isn't really sacrilege.

Also, I think the "Derailing threads with Audi/VW fault lists" thread is that way ->
 
If they call it the bug zapper I’m sold. Randomly electrocuting the driver gives it character. Like my MG catching on fire.

I dunno. Converting them to all electric would mean that they wouldn't be able to experience the classic Genuine VW Beetle Air Cooled Engine Gasoline Fire, though if it was a Beetle, they would likely still get a version of the Genuine VW Beetle Electrical Short Fire. I wouldn't want the hippies and hipsters to lose out on such a large part of the Beetle owner experience. :p
 
I just like the idea of a very light weight and fun car with a bit of style and a modern electric powertrain for running around town. Almost all my driving in town is within the range of and electric car with lots of room to spare. It would take the strain off the X and allow it to be the recreational vehicle and a more dedicated overlander.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, an electric conversion Honda CRX would be pretty fun.
 
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I just like the idea of a very light weight and fun car with a bit of style and a modern electric powertrain for running around town. Almost all my driving in town is within the range of and electric car with lots of room to spare. It would take the strain off the X and allow it to be the recreational vehicle and a more dedicated overlander.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, an electric conversion Honda CRX would be pretty fun.

Dude I've seen photos of you, you wouldn't fit. I'm 5'11" and I had to drive my CRX with my ankle keeled over even with the seat all the way back.
 
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