September 29, 2006 10:25 AM PDT
The drawing board is one thing; road tests are another. For that reason, VW's Palo Alto, Calif.-based Electronics Research Laboratory has retrofitted a 1964 Deluxe Microbus dubbed the "Chameleon."
The lab teamed with a company called Hybrid Technologies to replace the original engine with an all-electric-drive motor powered by lithium polymer batteries. The surfboards on the roof are lined with flexible solar panels as an additional energy source.
Updates on the interior include an interactive digital instrument cluster, digitally enhanced sound, rear-seat entertainment options and speech-activated controls.
Photo by Volkswagen
