As sad as everyone was to learn that VW was discontinuing the Beetle, we were equally excited to hear the company was bringing back the VW Microbus. The VW microbus is second only to the Beetle when it comes to iconic vehicles. It was one of the vehicles that played a huge roll in the hippie movement and was also loved by west coast surfers. Right now, there aren’t any other vehicles like it on the road.

Here’s what we know about the VW microbus so far.

Not an exact replica

VW knows that nostalgia plays a huge roll in its ability to bring back classic vehicles like the bus and Beetle, so it has worked hard to ensure that the contemporary versions bear a strong resemblance to the classics. But the company also knows that today’s consumer wants all the modern luxuries.

Meeting expectations isn’t easy. Luckily, VW has a history of successfully marrying classic with contemporary in its design and there is every reason to believe it’ll do so with the 2022 Microbus.

The new VW Microbus’s body bears a striking resemblance to the original Type 2 Microbus which was first sold in 1950. But there is a light strip that wraps around the new version and the headlights are slightly different.

Plus, instead of the completely flat front-end that was on the original, the 2022 version has a slightly rounded front. This makes it more aerodynamic. Instead of the 30 HP engine that was installed in the original, Volkswagen opted to place a 369 HP engine in the 2022 version. Another big difference is that the latest version of the VW microbus is electric and very eco-friendly.

How far will this electric bus roll

One of the reasons consumers hesitate when it comes to purchasing an electric vehicle is because they’re worried about how far they’ll be able to travel. The technology used to power electric vehicles has come a long way in the past 20 years.

According to Volkswagen, the 2022 Microbus has an estimated range of 300 miles. When you’re traveling further than 300 miles, you can stop and charge up. It only takes 30 minutes at 150 kW to restore a flat battery to 80% power. The charging panels are cleverly hidden beneath the vehicle’s left taillight. The vehicle can go from 0 to 60 mph in about 5 seconds and has a maximum speed of 99 mph.

Plenty of room

VW has designed the 2022 Microbus so that it holds 8 people. The great thing about the design is that instead of smushing all the passengers together, the layout allows each person to enjoy their own personal bubble.

The bus features 162.5 cubic feet of space. That’s considerably more than the Toyota Sienna, the roomiest minivan. For comparison, it only has 150 cubic feet of cargo space.

All that space makes the Microbus perfect for families, group get-togethers, and traveling with an assortment of pets. Not only can you fold down the center seats, but they’re also set up on a rail system, making it easy to move them out of your way when your hauling oddly shaped items.

A high-tech machine

The 2022 VW Microbus only looks retro. The outer wrapper hides a surprisingly high tech machine. This vehicle is equipped will all sorts of special features no one imagined possible a few years ago.

To begin with, the center console is removable and turns into a tablet. This is great for placing online orders, playing trivia while you’re road tripping, or for quickly uploading your most recent vacation photos to your social media accounts. VW replaced traditional side mirrors with cameras. 

By 2025 VW plans to equip the Microbus with ID Pilot which is automated driving technology.

This is just a small sampling of what VW has told us we can expect to find on the upcoming microbus. There’s every reason to believe that the company has more secrets that will trickle out as we close in on the 2022 production date.