Volkswagen teases its new electric concept ahead of CES — could it be the new Microbus?

By Andrew Hard December 11, 2015

Volkswagen electric concept — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Volkswagen has been teasing a modernized version of its iconic hippy bus for years, most notably with 2001’s Microbus concept and the sleek Bulli Concept from 2011. In September, we heard rumors that a new Bus could bow at CES 2016, and with the brand’s announcement of a new electric car debuting at the show, it may be time to break out the lava lamps and incense.

Volkswagen has published a teaser image of the concept ahead of the EV’s unveiling in January, and its boxy shape will propel the rumors of a new Microbus even further. There’s not a lot to go on from the cryptic photo, but the illuminated grill suggest a more modern, almost futuristic, aesthetic. However, a VW spokesman recently told Autocar that a new interpretation of the Bus would have three very important design nods to the old version.

Volkswagen Bulli Concept — Volkswagen Bulli Concept (2011) Image used with permission by copyright holder

“First the wide, solid, D-pillar, second the boxy design of the centre section and, thirdly, the front end must have a very short overhang,” he said. “The distance from the A-pillar to the front end must be very short.”

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The new EV — Microbus or not — will serve as the “starting shot” for VW’s future production strategies, which is clearly inspired by the company’s ongoing Dieselgate scandal. The automaker’s head of passenger cars, Dr. Herbert Diess, will give a keynote address at CES on January 5, with the majority of his speech focusing on how electrification is becoming the new driving force in the automotive community.

Earlier this week, VW announced that it had completed an internal investigation into the causes of Dieselgate. The manufacturer claims that a “chain of errors” was responsible for the installation of the emissions-fooling “defeat device” software, which was discovered in 11 million TDI models worldwide. You can read more about the investigation and its findings here.

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Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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Ram EV concept previews truck brand’s electric future

The Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept was designed around an electric powertrain.

Electric pickup trucks are a hot trend in the auto industry, and Ram is late to the game. So the truck brand of massive automaker Stellantis needed to work hard to stand out.
Unveiled at CES 2023, the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept shows what Ram has in mind for its first production electric truck, which is scheduled to arrive in 2024. This concept version combines some features we’ve already seen on other electric trucks with a few clever new ideas. So while it may be revolutionary for the Ram brand, which is new to EVs, it’s more evolutionary when compared to other electric pickups.

Unmistakably electric
The Ram 1500 Revolution has the bulky appearance of a traditional truck, but with proportions that clearly mark it as an EV. With no need to accommodate an engine, the hood is much shorter. This allowed designers to make the cabin four inches longer than today’s internal-combustion Ram 1500 without shortening the bed, Ram claims. The grille is also smaller, although Ram compensated for this with a giant light-up logo and headlights with the same “tuning fork” elements as its current gasoline and diesel truck grilles.
The roofline is a bit lower and sleeker, which probably helps with aerodynamics, but like a traditional truck, the Revolution rolls on massive wheels and tires. The 35-inch tires are wrapped around 24-inch wheels with smooth covers and light-up elements. The charge port, meanwhile, is located in the driver’s side front fender. It makes a noise when the truck has started charging and blinks to show that charging is ongoing.
Like rival truck makers, Ram incorporated a frunk where the engine would normally be, plus the RamBox storage bins from its current trucks. Nearly every opening, including the tailgate, frunk, and charge port, is also power-operated.
Underpinning all of this power-operated convenience is the STLA Frame dedicated EV platform, one of four such platforms Stellantis plans to use for future EVs across its many brands, such as Chrysler and Jeep.