"Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Oldtimer" will be represented at the Classic Days in Berlin on May 9 and 10, bringing a special chapter of the brand's own history back to its place of origin. At the center of the presentation is an electrically powered VW T2, which was already in use in Berlin from the end of the 1970s. The historical perspective is complemented by the e-BULLI as a visionary interpretation of the electric classic and a current ID. Buzz, which shows how consistently Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has transferred the idea of the electric Bulli into series mobility.
The VW T2 Elektro on display is one of the earliest pioneering electric mobility vehicles from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The vehicle was produced in 1977 and registered to the Berlin drainage works on July 15, 1977. This Bulli is therefore inextricably linked with Berlin - not as a study or exhibit, but as a working vehicle in everyday urban life until 1992.
In the 1970s, Berlin was one of the few cities to actively participate in a large-scale fleet test with electrically powered commercial vehicles. Special framework conditions were created for this use: Among other things, a battery exchange station was set up in the capital, where the battery unit (850 kg) installed in the cargo area could be exchanged for a charged one within a few minutes. Alternatively, charging was possible by cable. With a battery capacity of 21.6 kWh, ranges of up to 85 kilometers, a continuous output of 16 kW (22 hp) and a top speed of 71 km/h, the electric T2 was consistently designed for inner-city use. Functions such as brake energy recovery (recuperation) testify to how far ahead of its time the technology of this small series was.
This Berlin project marks the technological origin of a development that has accompanied Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for decades. The e-BULLI is a visible link between this early phase and today's electric mobility. The study is based on a classic VW T1 and combines its classic body with modern electric drive technology. For the first time, the e-BULLI translates the original idea of the emission-free Bulli into an emotional, contemporary overall concept and shows how historical substance and modern technology can merge. It thus symbolizes the transition from the experimental electric T2 of the 1970s to a new generation of electric Bulli.
The ID. Buzz. As a fully electric series vehicle, it brings the idea of the electric Bulli into the present. The design, space concept and drive system stand for sustainable mobility and at the same time clearly refer to the historic DNA of the Bulli. What once began as a fleet experiment on Berlin's streets and was visionarily reinterpreted in the e-BULLI is now reality with the ID. Buzz is now a reality.
With the presentation of these three vehicles at the Classic Days in Berlin, "Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Oldtimer" tells a continuous story of electric mobility - from the early beginnings to the visionary reinterpretation through to series production. Berlin will be the connecting place where the past, present and future of the electric Bulli visibly come together.
The vehicles at the Classic Days Berlin 2026
T2 Elektro (1977):battery capacity 21.6 kWh, range up to 85 km, electric motor with 16 kW (22 PS), top speed 71 km/h. Part of a Berlin fleet test with battery exchange station and early recuperation system.
e-BULLI study (2020):Study based on a VW T1 Samba produced in 1966. Electric motor with 61 kW (83 hp), lithium-ion battery with 54 kWh, range over 200 km, CCS fast-charging capability 100 kW. Bridge between the historic electric T2 and ID. Buzz.
ID. Buzz (series):Fully electric series model based on MEB. Interpretation of the classic Bulli idea for the present, locally emission-free, versatile and as a consistent continuation of the electric Bulli history. Optionally with rear engine (up to 210 kW) or all-wheel drive (250 kW).
The Classic Days in Berlin (May 9 and 10, 2026)
The Classic Days in Berlin are one of the largest and most popular classic car events in Germany. Around 2000 historic vehicles are exhibited along the Kurfürstendamm every year - from early automobiles to classics from more recent history. The event stretches over several kilometers in the heart of the capital and is accessible to visitors free of charge. With around 700,000 visitors over one weekend, the Classic Days offer an extraordinary stage for automotive culture and technological history. For "Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Oldtimers", they are the ideal setting to showcase historically significant vehicles where mobility, urban history and the public come together - in the heart of Berlin.
Further information can be found on the Classic Days Berlin website.
