The first Volkswagen Transporter, or Combi, was built on March 8, 1950 at the Wolfsburg plant. Seventy years later, the manufacturer partnered with the German specialist in electric retrofit eClassics to convert a T1 minibus from 1966 previously perfectly restored and retouched in terms of its structure.
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Duration record
Today in the catalog in its T6.1 generation, the Volkswagen Combi holds the world record for production time for a light van type van. For the manufacturer, the machine is on the second best-selling market in its history, after the Beetle.
When he left, he should have been called ” bully ” But this appellation was already reserved by another company. Internally, VW will however use the slightly altered name of Bulli, which explains why the model recently converted to electric is presented under the designation ” e-Bulli “
Samba Bus…
When it was unveiled in 1950, the Combi housed under its van body, supported by a new reinforced chassis, the Beetle’s gearbox and engine, the latter also being installed at the rear.
The T1 was available in different versions, including a pickup, a glazed utility in different ways, and an 8-seater minibus. In 1951, this ” Luxury Microbus Stood out with its rounded corner windows, its skylights above, and a discoverable roof.
With the exception of this last element, the recipe for Volkswagen will be taken up a few years later by Mercedes on its larger L319 minibus capable of carrying 6 additional people.
… From 1966
The first generation Combi, already introduced in Brazil in 1957, was produced from 1950 to 1967 with nearly 1.9 million units.
The one converted to electric by eClassics (public price: 64,900 euros) left the Volkswagen chains in Hanover in 1966 and exported to the United States, to Los Angeles, before returning to Europe for its transformation.
It is therefore located at the end of the models of its generation and is endowed with one of the signs which distinguish it from the following: the windshield divided into two panels (Splitscreen) that it could be possible to partially open from below for ventilate the passenger compartment.
Powertrain
The powertrain on board the e-Bulli includes an electric motor with a power of 61 kW (compared to 32 kW for the original 4-cylinder) for a torque of 212 Nm (102 on the air-cooled flat oven). The 105 km / h of the 1966 model is forgotten with a new top speed bridled voluntarily at 130 km / h.
The integration of the gear selector between the 2 leather front seats in 2 colors is clever, even if its modernity contrasts with original or retro-style equipment such as the steering wheel, watch, radio and speedometer . Note that the latter has been modernized with LED lighting that displays the position (P, R, N, D, B) of the gear selector and the battery charge level
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Which battery?
The retrofit company is already converting Beetles to electrics using the power train components from the new Volkswagen e-Up !. Regarding the engine still mounted at the rear, this is certainly the case a priori.
The lithium-ion battery is not, however, that with a total energy capacity of 36.8 kWh (for 32.3 kWh useful) that equips the connected city car. It is a usable 45 kWh pack, housed in the center of the floor and most likely borrowed from ID.3, which supports the electric motor.
The whole is covered by a wooden floor that stylists usually use for concepts evoking a leisure use by the sea. The panoramic sunroof already present at the origin accentuates this impression.
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220-250 km of range
With 45 kWh of energy capacity, autonomy should approach 220-250 kilometers (330 in the combined cycle for entry-level ID.3). Figures that slightly ridicule the 1962 T1 transporter converted to a 10 kWh battery by the California Center for Innovation and Engineering (IECC) opened by Volkswagen.
The CCS Combo connector accepting fast 50 kW DC charging is hidden under the rear license plate. The on-board AC charger accepts powers between 2.3 and 22 kW.
The user can obtain on their smartphone, via the We Connect application, the usual information useful for experiencing electric mobility, including the state of charging, the estimated time to reach the end, the expectation of associated autonomy, kilometers traveled, energy consumption, etc.
18.02.20, Foto: Henning ScheffenElektro T2 VWN
HENNING SCHEFFEN PHOTOGRAPHY
MOBIL: 01773193050. WWW.SCHEFFEN.DE
[email protected]
Friedrich-Engels-Str. 31
30880 Laatzen
Region Hannover / Niedersachsen / GERMANY
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18.02.20, Foto: Henning ScheffenElektro T2 VWN
HENNING SCHEFFEN PHOTOGRAPHY
MOBIL: 01773193050. WWW.SCHEFFEN.DE
[email protected]
Friedrich-Engels-Str. 31
30880 Laatzen
Region Hannover / Niedersachsen / GERMANY
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18.02.20, Foto: Henning ScheffenElektro T2 VWN
HENNING SCHEFFEN PHOTOGRAPHY
MOBIL: 01773193050. WWW.SCHEFFEN.DE
[email protected]
Friedrich-Engels-Str. 31
30880 Laatzen
Region Hannover / Niedersachsen / GERMANY
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Presentation postponed from March to June
The German automaker had planned to introduce the e-Bulli in Essen, Germany, as part of the Techno Classica trade show originally scheduled for March 25-29. The event is postponed from June 24 to 28, 2020 due to the Covid-19.
The machine converted by eClassics was to be aligned with one of the 7 Elecktro-Transporters (generation T2) prepared in the late 1970s for the municipal services of the city of Berlin.
The automaker had looked even earlier at an Electric Combi, presenting a lively pickup at the 1972 Hannover show. A timid start after this event still made it possible to produce a few vans with a payload of 800 kilos, with a 21.6 kW battery with the same weight on the scale. What to travel only 85 kilometers at best.
We should also talk about the ID Buzz in the 2020 edition of Techno Classica.
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