The quintessential symbol of communist East Germany, the Trabant, the most common vehicle there, is being reincarnated as a green, electric vehicle for the German masses, several sources are reporting.
The tiny, toy-like and smoky car that thousands waited up to 10 years to receive is getting its green makeover from IndiKar Individual Karosseriebau GmbH, which custom makes cars and armored vehicles, in time for the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall falling. In 1989, hordes of East Germans in their “Trabis” crossed through openings in the Wall into West Germany.
Trabant bodies were made of Duroplast, which was made in East Germany from various fibers such as cotton or paper, giving it a cardboard feel.
A new version will debut at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September, according to The Independent. The “green” Trabant nT will have an electric engine and a roof-top solar panel to recharge the battery, the paper said. IndiKar spokesman Jurgen Schnell said the German government is keen to have a million electric cars on the road by 2020 and IndiKar wants to be a part of that, the paper reported.
The Frankfurt Motor Show will also be the debut of BMW’s 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 and 7 Series.
The car fair will also hold Eco-training driving sessions to pass on tips for reducing fuel use and emissions.
