Volkswagen will be showing the first fully electric version of a new buggy at the Geneva International Motor Show. With the I.D. Buggy, Volkswagen is trying to demonstrate that the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) is also suitable for custom low-series vehicles.
A first look at the MEB-based buggy
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is presenting the first fully electric version of a new buggy at the Geneva International Motor Show in early March 2019. Based on the US dune buggies of the 1960s and 70s, the concept is based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB).
"A buggy is more than a car. It's an attitude towards life. This is notably embodied in the new ID. Buggy: It visualises a modern, non-retro interpretation of such a classic and, most of all, that electric mobility can be very emotional", states Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer at Volkswagen.
Electric buggy without roof and doors
The conceptual approach of the all-electric buggy is based on the historical models from California: Back then, they were based on the VW Beetle chassis. Nowadays, the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) is used to demonstrate how flexible the platform is. The new MEB concept vehicle should prove "that this fully electric platform can be used for more than large-scale series production models," as Volkswagen says. The Modular Electric Toolkit has the potential to "customise low-series vehicles," Volkswagen continues.
The reinterpretation of the original dune buggy has been achieved without a fixed roof and conventional doors. In addition, freestanding wheels with off-road tyres and open side skirts dominate the overall impression. Volkswagen has not yet released any of the vehicle's technical data.