A brief history of the beloved Volkswagen microbus
On March 8, 1950, the Volkswagen Microbus went into production. Formerly known as the Volkswagen Type 2, the bus would quickly become a symbol of America's counterculture movement, transporting self-proclaimed hippies all around the country in the 1960s. The bus was designed by Dutch businessman Ben Pon.
It was such a symbol of the counterculture movement, that when legendary Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia died, Volkswagen ran an advertisement of the Microbus with a single teardrop.
The tribute ran in Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone, according to Ad Age.
Deadheads primarily used the Volkswagen Westfalia Campers, the official camper conversion of the Volkswagen Type II. The campers, dubbed "westies," were often painted psychedelic colors.
The designs were colorful, bright, and indicative of the flower-power generation.
And you could easily convert the Microbus into a make-shift home, making cross-country travels to concerts or rallies very doable.
It also offered plenty of space for when you were actually on the road.
But the Microbus was discontinued in 2013 for not meeting modern safety requirements, like having airbags or anti-lock brakes.
As Wired reported at the time, Volkswagen sold more than 1.5 million Microbuses, and it was the oldest oldest continuous production vehicle in the world.
That's where the BUDD-e microbus concept comes in: Volkswagen's modern update to the beloved classic. You can open the door just by waving your hand, and the battery-powered bus gets 373 miles on a single charge.
It's unlikely the BUDD-e would garner the same appeal if it were to go into production. After all, the tech savvy mini bus is a far cry from the clunky, but homey, Type II. But it's something different from other electric vehicles out there and a cool spin on a piece of history.
Volkswagen will unveil another electric concept car at the Paris Motor Show that kicks off October 1, and it's rumored to have a range greater than 300 miles. The automaker said in a press release that the car will be "as revolutionary as the Beetle was seven decades ago," showing Volkswagen's focus to attract the same appeal it did for its classics with its EVs.
You can read more about the upcoming electric concept car here.
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