You don't have to have grown up in the 1960's or be a hippie to appreciate a Volkswagen van, but it probably does help.
The iconic car holds a very special place in the hearts of many people. My aunt has hilarious stories about learning how to drive in one, but you don't have to have even touched one for it to remind you of the good old days.
Volkswagen may have stopped making the original version of the vans, but that doesn't stop people from still buying them.
In fact, they are perfect for converting and in some cases can even become fully functioning mobile homes.
The newer versions of the van may be more modern, but they have never quite held a candle to the earlier versions.
Luckily, Volkswagen is coming out with a brand new model that gives a nod to the past vans in a big way.
When Volkswagen first came out with their first bus, called the Volkswagen Type 2, they probably didn't know that it would become a symbol of the counterculture movement.
According to History, the bus was called the Transporter when it first came out in 1950 and it's size made it perfect for doing just that.
The boxy shape made it perfect for schlepping lots of kids, or surfers, or even protesters from point A to B, and the public really responded.
The second wave of Volkswagen buses was known as the Bay window model thanks to it's non-split window like the first model, according to Volkswagen.
A 1970 version of this car is for sale in New Jersey for $8,500, which sounds like a bargain compared to some other models for sale in the $50k range.
Next came this version known as the T3, which you can see is slightly more modern than the previous models and looks a lot more like vans we see today.
After the T3, Volkswagen made a move towards more commercial vehicles, that weren't made for families but for workers and companies.
The bus became more of a workmanlike van, ideal for moving ladders or equipment.
This next model looks more like a boring old airport shuttle than anything to do with the beloved hippie van.
Clearly, the Volkswagen bus became lost amongst the minivans later in the century, but that doesn't mean people, or Volkswagen, forgot about it.
Hippie van fans were thrilled to learn that Volkswagen's next addition to the its microbus and van series will actually look authentically vintage.
Head of Volkswagen, Herbert Diess, confirmed to Auto Express that the model, which was shown at the North American Auto Show in Detroit, would become a reality in 2022.
The van may look retro, but the technology will be very, very new.
According to Volkswagen, Diess explains that the car, called the I.D. Buzz will be fully electric:
For me, the I.D. Buzz concept is the most beautiful and most exciting electric car in the world.
Our goal is clear: we want to make the fully electric, fully connected car a bestseller around the world. The iconic car of the electric age must be a Volkswagen.
The car will be available in 2022 in the United States, Europe and China.
Even better, it's true to it's ethically-minded roots; the bus will run on electricity. No matter what, the new version of this classic vehicle is a welcome blast from the past, and an exciting look towards the future.
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