Did you know that the Volkswagen Transporter T2 electric already existed in 1970?

Volkswagen has already entered the zero-emission commercial vehicle segment with the e-Crafter, and will expand its electric offering even further in 2022 with the launch of the ID. BUZZ.

However, its electrified links with models aimed at commercial and private customers date back to the 1970s, when the inventors of the Volkswagen Bulli and the Volkswagen Beetle laid the foundations of a development division. Based in Wolfsburg, it was responsible for creating the first Volkswagen electric.

In 1972, this special division presented a prototype of a pickup, and not long after, production began. The vehicle was also offered as a minibus and van, and one of the participants in the fleet trial, the city of Berlin, Germany, bought seven of them, including the T2 shown below, built in 1972 and licensed in April 1978 for the local Transport Services, Drainage Division.

The vehicle weighed a hefty 2,170 kg, including 880 kg for the battery, which could store 21.1 kWh, enough for a range of up to 85 km. Power came from a small Bosch electric motor, producing a constant 22 CV 16 kW, with up to 44 CV 32 kW available and 160 Nm of maximum torque. The considerable weight limited the top speed to 75 km/h.

Volkswagen Transporter T2 electric

At the time, Volkswagen devised a battery-swap station in Tiergarten, in collaboration with Rhenish-Westphalian Electricity and later General Electric Street Vehicles, where the unit could be swapped for a fully charged one in just 5 minutes. The alternative was to charge the Varta battery, using an interface at the rear of the vehicle. For its time, the electric Bulli had impressive on-board technology, including an energy recovery system.

The carmaker will display the T2 BEV, which is part of its Oldtimer collection, at Techno Classica 2020, in Essen, from 25 to 29 March.

This is not the only one, as a few months ago we showed you a 1972 example converted by EV West. The company’s latest electric conversion involves a Volkswagen 1972 Transporter Type 2 from the T2 generation that has been fitted with an electric motor and a battery from the Volkswagen e-Golf. Volkswagen commissioned the electric vehicle conversion specialist EV West to build the Volkswagen electric Transporter using the 100 kW or 136 CV powertrain and the 35.8 kWh battery system of a 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf.

The 65 CV air-cooled four-cylinder engine located in the rear compartment has been replaced by the electric motor, the single-speed transmission and the charging system, all contained in a single transversely mounted unit. The Volkswagen T2 window has also received independent rear suspension to cope with the additional weight.

As for the battery units, they are housed within custom-designed, reinforced and fire-retardant enclosures located under the front seats and where the fuel tank used to be. This ensures that the Volkswagen electric Transporter retains its original appearance on the inside.