After a year of emissions scandals and general bad rep, Volkswagen have announced their new electric mobile that looks remarkably like a futuristic version of the classic VW campervan. Introducing the VW Budd-e.
Is it a shining example of the surf wagon everyone in the western world wants to lay their hands on? Well, that’s for you to decide….
Firstly, it is electric – which is great for the environment – and can run for nearly 250 miles on a single charge. Plus by 2019, it will only take 15 minutes to charge 80 per cent of the battery.
The dashboard is very high-tech – touch screen iPad style display – which looks awesomely futuristic, although granted might not be great when you’ve just got out of the surf with wet sandy hands and want to turn the heating on.
Reaching speeds up to 93mph, it has four seats and is all-wheel drive.
The Budd-e also harnesses the sun’s ray through solar panels on the roof, storing extra energy for the car’s electrics.
Oh, and it’s got a revolutionary hand gesture swipe action that opens the side doors. Brilliant.
However, sadly it’s not quite trying to replace the Transporter as the next VW campervan. Rather, it’s a whole lot smaller – think electric version of the Golf – so longboarders, you’re gonna need a roof rack.
It was revealed at the CES tech show this week in Las Vegas but won’t be on the market until 2018 at the earliest.
What do you reckon? Would you give it a spin?