When you talk about iconic Volkswagen vehicles, there are two that arguably rise above the rest. Step back, GTI fans – we're talking about the Bus and Beetle here. Hot hatchbacks are certainly fun, but the classic VW Beetle and Microbus are legendary nameplates with legacies reaching well over half a century. We're already getting a new electrified bus in the form of the ID.Buzz, but what about the Beetle?
The classic Type 1 bug remained in production for an incredible 65 years, with over 21 million produced. The New Beetle wasn't nearly as popular, nor was the most-recent A5 generation that ended production in 2019. Rumors have percolated in recent years about a new electric Beetle on the horizon, but further details have never surfaced. That's still the case today, but the rumors do have new life with an interesting statement straight from the top of VW's hierarchy. In a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session, CEO Herbert Diess responded to a question about bringing back the Beetle with a rather optimistic statement.
"Our most emotional car in our history is definitely the microbus. This was my first priority to bring this icon back to life. But yes, many other emotional cars are possible on our scalable MEB platform."
It's not a confirmation by any means, but it certainly leaves the door open for a Beetle revival. The tone of the statement with a specific mention of the scalable MEB platform suggests it's something at least on the minds of VW executives. Nor is this the first time Diess has talked about a possible EV Beetle reboot. Similar statements arose in 2018, giving further support to enduring rumors.
Gallery: Volkswagen ID. Beetle Renders
The Reddit AMA also saw Diess toss out a casual good idea comment to a question about an electric pickup truck for the US market. Obviously, the VW CEO isn't keen to give away secrets in this question/answer session, but it's worth noting that Diess did offer some definitive yes and no answers to other questions, such as Skoda possibly coming to the States. Simply answering good idea to an EV pickup certainly leaves the door open, which suggests – as it does with the Beetle EV – that the topic is at least under consideration.
As with pretty much every major automaker right now, Volkswagen has strong electric ambitions. Whether those ambitions include a reborn Beetle or a new pickup remains to be seen, but the next few years should certainly be interesting.
