Volkswagen is planning for the Beetle’s return, as an electric car



Having confirmed just a few months ago that the current generation Beetle would not be replaced once production ends next year, Volkswagen is now mulling the return of the iconic model with modern twist.

Should it be given the go-ahead by Volkswagen’s chiefs, it will not only adopt an electric powertrain but will also feature a four-door layout and rear-wheel drive configuration (currently FWD) based on the original Type 1 Beetle from the 1940s, according to Autocar.

The Original Type 1 Beetle, as featured in our two-part Throwback Thursday series.

The “new Beetle” would most likely utilise Volkswagen’s MEB platform which underpins all of the brand’s new electric cars under the ID badge.

The transition to a 4-door layout indicates Volkswagen’s intentions to move away from the two-door niche in order to sell more cars, much like what MINI did by introducing a 5-door Cooper, but would a mass-market Beetle tamper with the long-cultivated charm of a Beetle?

Isn’t that why we all adore the Beetle so much? Because it’s such a niche vehicle; partly due to its low sales volume.

The new Microbus, scheduled for debut by 2022, will be making its return as an electric vehicle under Volkswagen’s MEB platform.

Whether or not it would dilute the Beetle brand or actually help Volkswagen pump up its sales numbers, one thing seems to be for certain. Volkswagen representatives have claimed that a Beetle built on the MEB platform would offer loads of cabin space without compromise on its functionality.

Don’t get your cheque books out just yet though. Despite the keen interests, Volkswagen’s representatives have added that the decision to put the electric Beetle into production will not be finalised until the beginning of the next decade.