New Volkswagen Microbus is Company's Electric Car Concept

Volkswagen is hoping to amp up the buzz about electric cars. The German automaker became the talk of the recent Geneva Auto Show by introducing its concept of an electric car - the return of the Volkswagen microbus.

"The Volkswagen bus, like no other car, stands for the spirit of freedom," the company said in its announcement of the new electric version. "It debuted over 60 years ago in 1950 with a contagiously simple design. The Germans called it the Bulli, and to Americans it was the Microbus. It was driven on all continents. And the world's first van is still appreciated by a fan base which spans the globe. Now Volkswagen is reinterpreting the compact original form of this automotive legend and sending it into the future."

A beloved icon of the 1960s often referred to as a "hippie van," the VW microbus - officially known as the Type 2 - remains in production in various forms in international markets. Ten years ago, Volkswagen announced plans to reintroduce the microbus in the United States but - to the dismay of car lovers - the vehicle never went into production.

The new eco-friendly microbus is called the Bulli, which is the common German name for the Type 2 model. Volkswagen envisions it as a plug-in electric car that would charge its lithium ion batteries in under an hour. Once fully charged, the electric microbus would have a range of over 180 miles before it required recharging.

The new electric microbus would have a top speed of 87 miles an hour, and a slower-than-average time of over 11 seconds to get from zero to 60 miles per hour. But performance was never the strong suit of the Volkswagen microbus. Shorter than its predecessor, this electric version of the microbus is more reminiscent of some of today's cars - like the Scion xB or the Kia Soul.

Unlike the original Volkswagen microbus, the Bulli has traditional doors rather than sliders. But it has the familiar bench seating - even in the front - and seats six. But car fans nostalgic for the 1960s version of the microbus will be happy to know that the seats recline into a single flat surface to turn the vehicle into a camper that evokes memories of the VW classic.

One of the coolest features of the new electric microbus is the iPad control panel. The car has a docking station on the dashboard. Drivers would store information about the car's controls on their iPad - settings for temperature, the radio, etc. - and then just plug the computer tablet into the dashboard and drive away.

Volkswagen did not announce production plans for the Bulli electric microbus.