Meet KEV, the electric VW Kombi ready for NZ road trip

VW NZ restored KEV the 1966 Kombi, as fully electric. Photos: VW NZ

Volkswagen New Zealand has revealed a fully electric 1966 Kombi along with an open-source green print for anyone looking to revolutionise their classic.

VW has transformed the Kombi van, once used Dunedin Health Board, into Kombi Electric Vehicle (KEV), with the help of Wellington’s The Surgery, which is New Zealand's premier Automotive and Classic Car Restoration studio.

VW NZ’s, Special Vehicles Manager, Max van den Bergen, says the change from classic to e-classic has been extraordinary.

It took two years to fully restore the 1966 Kombi.

"I know Kombi owners are super passionate about their vehicles, so it’s great to share our journey and plans required to turn their classic into a full EV.”

The restoration job on KEV took two years with the idea to also create an open source guide online to help Kombi owners revolutionise their iconic retro.

The guide called the ‘Greenprint’ delivers a how-to plan for passionate owners to convert their own Volkswagen vehicle to a fully electric solution. 

“When almost half of Kiwis are likely considering an EV for their next vehicle, we’re thrilled to offer a range of electric and PHEV vehicles along with one that’s slightly more unexpected,” said van den Bergen.

KEV will be visiting Fieldays this week, 14-17 June at Mystery Creek then is on a road trip around VW NZ’s dealerships.

KEV now has a fully-electric engine thanks to Wellington’s The Surgery