Volkswagen Is Allegedly Exterminating the VW Beetle Forever

The VW Beetle has always been a recognizable mascot for the Volkswagen brand. Officially known as the Volkswagen Type 1, this car was first produced in Germany in 1938 as an economy car for the German army. It wasn’t until the late 1940s when civilian models were produced that would later go on to be one of the automaker’s most popular models worldwide. However, in 2019 the VW Beetle was discontinued in favor of the brand’s newer, more modern vehicles.

Was There Going To Be An Electric VW Beetle?

Of course with the era of electric vehicles on the rise, rumors began to circulate of Volkswagen bringing back the Beetle as a fully-electric car. But according to Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schafer, that isn’t the case.

While speaking with Autocar, Schafer says that while they could certainly revive the VW Beetle as an EV if they wanted to, it wouldn’t be the wisest business decision. “It wouldn’t make sense to bring it back. I wouldn’t say with 100 percent [certainty]. But from where I stand now, I wouldn’t consider it,” says Schafer. “It’s the same as Scirocco: it had its day, then there was a new model based on a reinterpretation. To do that again? I don’t think so. And going forward with balancing all these technologies and the cost that is associated with it, you’ve got to invest money in the best possible place.”

This news is certainly a big blow to VW Beetle fans, especially since Herbert Diess, Schafer’s predecessor, was open to the idea of bringing the car back for the electrified era. “Many other emotional cars are possible on our scaleable MEB platform,” Diess said of the future of Volkswagen’s iconic models. A few years ago, the name “e-Beetle” was also trademarked by Volkswagen in Europe, which suggests that prior to Schafer’s appointment to CEO, an electrified VW Beetle may have been a stronger possibility.

An Alternative Option

While the last Beetle left the factory in 2019, those interested in a new one could consider investing in the Milivié 1, a mega-expensive restomod. Powered by a 2.28-liter air-cooled flat-four engine, and only 22 produced units available in the world, one of these rare interpretations of the VW Beetle fetch a price tag of over $600,000 each. A tall price to pay for a car that had just ended production only four years ago.