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Re-activate"Bring back the Bus" was the common refrain after Volkswagen displayed its Microbus concept at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show. But the company never did.
Now VW is making a second attempt at cashing in on its 1960s Woodstock-era icon. The Bulli concept it showed at the Geneva Motor Show is much smaller. In fact, the Bulli is a little smaller than the Kia Soul or even the original Scion xB. Yet the concept that truly is a "micro" bus that claims seating for six--three across in front and back. There are four conventional doors and no sliders.
The Bulli is an all-electric concept that uses an 85 kW (115 hp) electric motor and a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery instead of flower power. Volkswagen claims a range of 186 miles between one-hour charges on a public 420-volt DC charger. The company allows that in production form, the car would probably have a gasoline or diesel powerplant.
In a nod to modern convenience, an iPad--sitting in a dashboard dock--interfaces with the entertainment functions of the car. All the seats can recline to make a bed, and all but the driver's perch can be folded forward for maximum cargo space.
Appropriately slathered in two-tone paint, the Bulli is a modern take on Volkswagen's classic icon.
--Eric Evarts
Related:
Volkswagen brings back soft-top Cabriolet convertible - at least for Europe
Volvo to debut V60 diesel plug-in hybrid
Scion iQ electric car to debut
Honda, Nissan heat up the international electric car race
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