VW Unveils E-Bugster Electric Beetle Concept

German car firm Volkswagen has used the 2012 North American International Auto Show to showcase the E-Bugster design - a 100 per cent electric-powered Beetle.

Giving the classic Beetle a 21st century environmental overall, the E-Bugster features several eco-themed elements. First and foremost, there's an electric motor, rated at 85 Kilowatts, which allows the E-Bugster to hit 60 miles per hour from a standing start in just under 11 seconds.

The 28.3 Kilowatt-Hour lithium-ion batteries can be fully recharged in a mere 35 minutes and the car's single-charge range is an impressive 110 miles minimum, according to Volkswagen. A novel Combined Charging System, produced through a tie-up between VW and a host of other automotive firms, is the key to this rapid recharging ability while the motion of the car's pedals produces additional electricity.

VW E-Bugster

The dashboard displays the kinetic energy generated when pressure's taken off the VW E-Bugster's accelerator and applied to the brake. It also highlights the remaining levels of battery charge, the range that can still be achieved and the car's state of power.

‘If the E-Bugster's name is familiar, it should be: it takes some inspiration from the Ragster concept that made its debut at the 2005 Detroit Show and which itself inspired the current Beetle', Volkswagen explains in a press release issued to coincide with the North American International Auto Show's start. ‘The ‘E' of the name signifies the vehicle's electric power, and the ‘Bug' part of the name should need no explanation', it adds.

Electric Beetle Concept

This electric Beetle concept is, at this moment in time, just that and not necessarily indicative of an intended production model just yet.

The North American International Auto Show is held every January in Detroit - this year's edition running between 9-22nd January - and in recent years it's been a showcase for the very latest in alternative energy automotive design.

Volkswagen, meanwhile, has also used other events to premiere its electric car visions, like the electric taxi design unveiled at the 2010 Hannover Trade Show. A slightly different adaptation of the VW Beetle legacy, meanwhile, emerged in August of the same year, when UK sustainable firm GENeco unveiled the Bio-Bug - a methane biogas-powered car.

VW E-Bugster image courtesy Volkswagen

See also:

Companies supplying Electric Cars