So today I’m out traveling to the Westest of coasts to drive something interesting: a completely restored and restomodded Volkswagen Type 2 Bus, with a full electric drivetrain conversion and upgrades for pretty much everything. It’s made by a company called Kindred, and I have to admit, it looks positively stellar. The only real downside I’ve noticed so far is that these completely re-built Buses start at about $249,000, which is about a quarter of a million dollars more than I can afford.
I’ll admit, I am a little conflicted about all this. Of course, I love the Volkswagen Type 2 bus, period. It’s a fantastically rational vehicle designed for the humble purpose of being a cheap commercial stuff-hauler that somehow ended up becoming one of the most iconic vehicles of all time, a symbol of a particular era. The intention wasn’t to make a cultural icon, it was to make a box on wheels, but it just became so much more.
I’ve gushed about the VW Bus plenty, and before I go off on a tangent about how it’s the conceptual successor to the Stout Scarab, maybe you can just watch this video we did on the Bus and I’ll get back to the subject at hand, these Kindred restomods.
So, my conflict: I adore old VW Buses, but I also feel like they’ve morphed into something nearly unobtainable for most people now, which is just never what was intended. Restored buses now – especially the 21 or 23 window ones – sell for, on average, close to $100,000. Granted, those prices are for well-restored ones, but finding even a rough early split-windshield bus is an expensive proposition no matter what.
So, with that in mind, maybe nearly $250,000 for an electric, completely re-worked one isn’t so absurd. It’s still a colossal amount of money, though.
I’m curious how much of the Bus’ character will be lost in such a translation to EV. Old buses were rattly, loud, slow things, and these EV ones promise to be silent and fast and solid. Will I miss the old mechanical clatter and busy-ness of old Buses? Or will I be happy to have about 294 hp on tap and modern, power disc brakes and a whole new suspension setup and all that?
I think Kindred builds these on their own bespoke EV chassis; that’ll be one of the things I’ll find out. I’m also curious just where the batteries are stored; is that the actual chassis above, and are they all in a big box at the rear? The Bus’ packaging would lend itself to that sort of layout, as you can see:
But wouldn’t that make for even worse weight distribution than the original? I don’t know just yet.
The interior layout, with its wraparound seating, does hint at under-seat battery storage there; it’s definitely not in the floor, which looks too thin. The battery is 74 kWh, good for a range of around 200 miles, about as good as a modern VW ID.Buzz. It’ll support DC fast charging, too.
The wheels look different, too, likely to accommodate the powered disc brakes. There’s a double wishbone front suspension instead of the old torsion arms, too, and a real rack-and-pinion steering setup. What will a bus with modern suspension and about 260 more horsepower feel like?
It’s a beautiful-looking restoration. They’re starting with non-23-window 1950-1963 buses, and they’re turning them into 23-window ones. They also seem to be using pre-1960 bullet turn indicators and the small round taillights, along with the overrider-free Euro bumpers.
There’s more modern (and heated) seats inside, a modern screen stuck in that metal dash, and overall looks beautifully appointed.
Is that just a forward-neutral-reverse lever now?
I should have one to drive for a number of hours on Wednesday, so if there’s anything you’d like to see or know specifically, let me know now and I’ll see what I can find out!
I’m very eager to try this happy thing, even if I can’t possibly grow and sell enough kidneys to ever actually own one. Even if I sold all three of the kidneys I have now!
nothing…actually…nah never mind I already know the type to purchase these things
Are the driver’s knees still the primary crumple zone material in low-speed crash events? Have they beefed up the aluminum foil material used in the front face of the originals to provide some actual occupant protection? Doesn’t look like they got an airbag in that steering wheel. Drive safe, Jason!
Who is buying this car and where can I join their drug trade?
I can can think of at least 250,000 other things that I could spend $250,000 on versus some hot dog mustard colored VW van.
It doesn’t appear to have LED headlights, so it’s not a real restomod.
I want to hear how it drives. Is it fun? Is it cool? Does it have thoughtful, neat touches?
There’s lots to think about around should classics be messed with, should anybody spend $250k on something like this, and so on. But they’ve already built it, so why not try it out and report back to us?
” The battery is 74 kWh, good for a range of around 200 miles, ”
For $250K, I would expect more battery capacity than that.
” They’re starting with non-23-window 1950-1963 buses, and they’re turning them into 23-window ones. ”
Which in my view, is a waste of time and money.
“I think Kindred builds these on their own bespoke EV chassis; that’ll be one of the things I’ll find out. I’m also curious just where the batteries are stored; is that the actual chassis above, and are they all in a big box at the rear?”
This is what I’d want to know too. And what motor are they using? And I would think for $250K, the brakes would also be seriously upgraded. Have they been?
And does it have a NACS connector? And can you get one with proper 3 rows of seats, not that L-shaped set of seats with no seatbelts.
And for $250K, I’d like to see seatbelts.
And is it worth spending $250K on this when you can get an ID.Buzz for less than half the cost?
I doubt it.
Seatbelts are there, shoulder ones, see next to last picture.
” They’re starting with non-23-window 1950-1963 buses, and they’re turning them into 23-window ones. “
IDK I think that makes some sense, but makes me seriously question the price tag. I would think converting non-23 window busses into 23 window is cheap, just a plasma cutter and re-pop windows. However that means the donor vehicle isn’t 50-60K, so.. where is the 200k?
I mean you’re probably no less safe being thrown from one of these in an accident than you are being strapped into one as it folds around you like a soda can when you hit a shopping cart.
Sweet GuniWheels!
Of course the price is nuts but any chance it’s on Turo? I would rent the hell out of it!
As a person who bought a 1963 VW campervan for $300 back in 1977 (I had to install the engine before I could drive it), and drove it around the Denver area for a few years. I’d have to say this looks like big improvement. My main memories of it are it’s total lack of power, and total lack of any functional heater. In the winter I kept an ice scraper near the driver’s seat to scrape the ice off the inside of the windshield. The engine at Denver altitude it had just enough power to reach 50mph on level ground on a good day. It hated going up hills, any hill. This was a wonderful car, held back by it’s utterly insufficient engine. I eventually traded it to a friend for $300 and Triumph Bonneville. all that considered, I think $250,000 is way too much for any microbus. You could get so much more for that kind of money.
The only important stat is miles per kWh.
Saw a nice pale green VW bus, that is used as a photography booth, at a local brewery. Terrible pollution out the back, though.
Holy crap. $250K for that? How rich and having that much spare cash do you guys think we are?
I’ve been seeing a lot of old buses around lately, including several buckets I would have figured would have been restored or junked by now, and some parked as advertising, where they had been a lot rarer for a while. I was assuming this meant the values had come way down as the nostalgia-drunk boomers leave the market. Without the hazy boomer memories of smelly, drug-fueled orgies outside terrible concerts, I can’t imagine anyone paying real money for these, though EV should make them acceptable.
Please title your follow-up article “Shakedown Street.”
EV restomods are cool and all, but I can’t help thinking that they take away a lot of what makes owning a classic car interesting. Take this Bus, a huge part of an old VW’s character comes from its clattery, noisy air-cooled engine. This goes farther than replacing the engine though, it replaces all the underpinnings. At that point you may as well buy the ID Buzz and be done with it. I have no interest in owning an old VW with an electric motor in the same way I’d never want a vintage EV Dodge Charger or an EV Model T. The engine is part of the character of those vehicles, in some way or another. Edit to add that I’m an air-cooled Beetle owner.
Not that all EV restomods are bad. Dropping an EV powertrain into a land yacht from the 70s improves on the original idea of those vehicles (quiet, smooth comfort), and removes a complicated, thirsty, often woefully underpowered and smog emissions-choked engine in the process.
I’ve never wanted a VW bus, but if I did, this is what I’d want. Something with a decent suspension, (likely) good build quality, a motor that can get it out of its own way, and modern safety features. The price does kinda blow that all right out of the water, though. Edit – I suppose that’s the Id Buzz thing, but I like this a lot more.
As an aside, I am impressed with the original bus’s “double-acting telescopic” shock absorbers.
Personally, I think an old VW bus is a pretty good candidate for an EV restomod. Yes, the flat-4 engine is part of the character of the original ones, but only in a negative way—more negative than the Beetle, which at least can get up to and maintain highway speeds with 50 hp or so. My dad owned a bus like this, and he said it was terrifying to drive on the highway. Having more power and the upgraded brakes and suspension to handle that power is a nice upgrade. I want to know if they’re planning on making Westfalia-type versions, and if they’re going to make a version that’s less powerful and fancy, for maybe $150k or so. A correctly-engineered EV-swapped version of an already expensive classic vehicle is never going to be cheap, but it could at least cost a little less.
Having driven an original in crosswinds I hope the extra weight and new chassis makes it less of a sketchy deathtrap
Ah yes, the inadvertent lane changes in crosswinds. I look back fondly on my days of having VW busses (a 1972 & a 1969), but have no current desire to own one.
There is also the ‘you are the crumple zone’ issue
It’s a mint, but honestly, if this and the Buzz were priced 1:1, I’d definitely choose a restomod. VW tried the retro look on the Buzz, but it doesn’t really have the charm of the original. Regarding this vehicle, I hope it doesn’t go 0-60 in 3 seconds.
The other big advantage this has is that it’s not as frickin’ huge as the Buzz.
Ooooh – That wrap around rear seating is sexy.
Does it also come with a cocktail cabinet?
My inner Matt Helm would like to know….
What happened to us as a people? And when did it happen? 1/4 mil for a VW?
$250,000 restomod VWs? Are we writing articles for the 1% now?
I think we[sic] are writing articles for people who like to read about cars, myself. I’m as likely to buy that $2,000 Pontiac Vibe in Michigan as I am to buy this, after all.
I’m a lot more interested in a $250k VW bus than I am in any $250K supercar. That said, it’s a ridiculous sum for ridiculous people.
We knew a couple who owned a Type 2 back in the 70’s. He and I did the traditional hand painted “Flower Power” paint job under direction of his artist wife. They moved West and we never heard from them again. It’s so long ago that now I can’t even remember his name 🙁
Whenever I see one I think of them and hope they are still driving it.
https://icon4x4.com/fj/config icon does this a similar prices and has for years. There are the rich and the rest of us.
Jason—I’m curious who the target customer is and what the company sees this being used for. I don’t think you take your 250K bus camping or put cargo anywhere near those seats.
It looks like they’ve transformed the most practical of vehicles into the least. And maybe that’s fine, but I’d be curious if they will admit that.
On the other hand, if they tell you with a straight face their customers are gonna load these up with surfboards and scuba gear, they can GTFO
Use Case?
Smugly driving your smug little hump-dumplings to their smug private academy in Smugonia.
Stopping by Smugbucks for a smug-up with the other smug parents.
Slowly driving back to your McMansion, dreading its inevitable approach and the cold embrace of the cobwebs of hollow consumerism within.
Parking in the gated driveway and just sitting in the van for hours contemplating the desperation of a rational creature in an absurd universe.
Driving back to retrieve the children and ferry them to share your stultified, impotent fate; smug smile pasted off-kilter under dead eyes.
You know… American Dream shit.
Greatest nation on earth! (Inevitably claimed by ppl who have never seen any other)
A sentiment echoed by people from other countries – that have never left their own town.
fair point. We don’t have a monopoly on provincial thinking.
Right now, looking at current events, we do appear to.
We’re #1!!!!!!!!
Plenty here in Australia are chasing the ‘merican dream to freedom. with populist politicians actively emulating and meeting up with the Orange one in Florida.
To me, it’s driveable art that’s a heck of a lot more appealing and useful than a Ferrari Luce or a Cybertruck. I kinda think they overengineered it and then charged a fair price for that, but I really hope some rich folks redistribute some wealth at them.
Target customer is aging ex-hippies who got rich by becoming Reaganites in the 80s, but would still like to think they’re hippies
Everything is just about cos-play these days.
This is for rich people who want to cos-play as free-spirited eco-minded hippies.
It’s no different from the weekend warriors or police who like to cos-play as soldiers.
It’s so much easier buy-into the image and to pretend to be a part of a culture you admire, than it is to actually have ideals and to live by them.
Really rich people who’ll buy it, and it’ll mostly sit there, and that outlay of money won’t even be noticed.
yup. Not my generation but from all I’ve read the hippies settled on the Bus not b/c it was cheap and practical. It only became cool in hindsight and, therefore, anyone chasing after it now is uncool.