Volkswagen CEO squashes any hopes of the famed Beetle making an all-electric comeback
A mere few weeks after a digital animation of an electric Volkswagen Beetle stirred the rumor mill about a real-life version, the CEO of the passenger cars business has said otherwise. Although the German automaker recently revived its classic Bus as a BEV with several other familiar VW nameplates to follow, the Beetle will remain exterminated for now.
Although it remains a household name in autos, Volkswagen Group sees itself claiming a much larger role in the future market landscape. Furthermore, the automaker has remained quite open about how it intends to do so by embracing electrification throughout its brands and electrifying most of its popular nameplates.
Volkswagen Cars, in particular, has found early success with its ID brand EVs and has already confirmed popular models like the Golf and GTI will be transitioned into their own BEV versions in the future. As a nod to its past, Volkswagen recently released the ID.Buzz based on the cult-classic VW buses (seen below).
The ID.Buzz was a project overseen by ex-Group CEO Herbert Diess, who was ousted last summer and replaced by Porsche CEO Oliver Blume. During his tenure, Diess helped dream up a reborn version of the Volkswagen Beetle as an electric vehicle to invoke a more “emotional” lineup.
Blume, however, is more interested in optimization and profitability than emotion, and Volkswagen Cars’ CEO Thomas Schäfer appears to be in the same camp, recently describing an electric Beetle as a “dead end” without ruling out its future entirely. Here’s the latest.
The electric Beetle will live on… as fantasy fiction
In a recent interview with Autocar, Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schäfer spoke to the brand’s future in EVs and its plans to bring certain nameplates (and abandon others) as it transitions into the all-electric era. Per Schäfer:
We’ve decided we’re not going to throw away the traditional, successful names that have carried us for so long, that we’ve invested in for so long, like Golf and Tiguan. Why would you let them go? Obviously we have a lot of names in our history, but there are only, I’d say, a little more than a handful that are really iconic and global. There are the typical ones, the Golf, the Tiguan… Would you do Scirocco or would you do Arteon? Probably not. That is part of our naming philosophy that we are now finalizing.
So the Golf and Tiguan are in, but the Scirocco and Arteon are probably out. Earlier this month, an animated version of an all-electric Beetle was showcased as the wheels for a superhero called Ladybug in the children’s Netflix movie Miraculous. We reported at the time that this could be a hint of Diess’ dream of “emotion” coming to fruition. However, when asked about the possibility of an all-electric Volkswagen Beetle making its way to market, Schäfer didn’t appear too optimistic:
I don’t think so, because there are certain vehicles that have had their day. It wouldn’t make sense to bring it back. I wouldn’t say with 100% [certainty]. But from where I stand now, I wouldn’t consider it. It’s the same as Scirocco: it had its day, then there was a new model based on a reinterpretation. To do that again? I don’t think so. And going forward with balancing all these technologies and the cost that is associated with it, you’ve got to invest money in the best possible place.
In the CEO’s defense, Volkswagen bugs aren’t exactly the most aerodynamic design, but alongside the Bus, the Beetle is easily the most recognizable vehicle the automaker has ever built and has a long history in pop culture. Still, the decision to curb nostalgia and focus on more viable EV conversion makes a lot of sense from a business standpoint, so fans of the Beetle may be waiting a lifetime to see an all-electric version.
Perhaps VW will make an eVTOL version, and we’ll eventually get to see an electric Beetle take flight. If that happens and they don’t call it a lightning bug, I’ll be pissed.
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With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.
CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.
The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.
Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.
The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.
The new electric benchmark
In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.
If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.
Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.
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We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.
Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”
Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.
Electrek’s take
GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.
Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.
I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.
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On today’s test-acular episode of Quick Charge, it’s a new day and a new Chinese ADAS test for Tesla to conquer – but this one’s got a LOT more pedestrian carnage to parse through! We’ve also got some great e-bike deals from Retrospec and a bladder-busting Hyundai.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we’ve got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by the updated Hyundai IONIQ 6 with nearly 350 miles of range from its updated long-range battery. With that, Hyundai now has the longest range Korean EV on the market, while Texas is adding megawatts of battery energy storage to beef up its troubled grid, and it’s doing so faster and cheaper than ever before.
Plus: Quick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off the price of their next awesome e-bike by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com!
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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