At first glance, this Marathon Blue Volkswagen Beetle 1303 looks pretty ordinary. But when you take a closer look, you can tell it’s something special. Without a hint of engine noise, the rear wheels spray tiny bits of rubber across the asphalt, billows of tired smoke, and tiny chunks. It is a monster.
The source of this spectacle is not an air-cooled boxer engine, but a modern three-phase asynchronous electric motor. For purists, that may sound like heresy – you can Really Is it in Barangay? But from the builders’ point of view, it’s the perfect fusion of a popular classic with modern electric drive technology.
Rediger Knepper, owner of Knepper Caps & More, explains: “Today we are in standard mode with around 200 horsepower.” The Beetle, officially named the 1303 RS-E, delivers 601 horsepower and 518 pound-feet of torque. But without traction control, those figures are track-specific. On public roads, a Tüv-approved limit of 200 HP applies. Even so, the car’s acceleration is tight: power comes on smoothly but consistently, launching the Beetle forward with a catapult-like punch.
The project began with a 1975 VW 1303 that Rediger and his son Rene found in a California junkyard. The car’s body was badly damaged, but structurally it was sound-perfect for the RS-E build. During the restoration, almost every part was replaced or reworked. The body was brought back to near-original form and finished in Marathon Blue, with subtle upgrades like wide carbon rear fenders and a carbon roof spoiler that not only looks good, but adds to high-speed stability.
Knipper Worms and More: Project RS-E
Photo by: Knipper Worms and More
Underneath, almost everything is new: the suspension is largely taken from the Porsche 944, paired with components from KW, Bilstein and Karcher. Brakes come from the 944 Turbo S, with Porsche 964 discs up front. Grip is provided by Tevo Proxes TR-1 tires—195/45R17 in the front and 235/45R17 in the rear.
The bug features 17 battery modules from the Porsche Technic, fed by the rear axle motor from the Tesla model’s performance, slightly modified for voltage. The setup sends it direct power to the wheels via a Porsche 930 driveshaft.
In ideal conditions, the RS-E sprints to 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds. Depending on driving style, the range is between 62 and 155 miles (100 and 250 km). Charging via CCS or standard AC is possible using an adapter.
Rediger installed the hardware himself, while the electronic control system was handled by Alexander Lehrmann and his team at SDEV Technologies in Herdward.
Inside, the cockpit remains mostly original. Gone are the clutch and gear levers, replaced by a digital control panel for the electric drivetrain. Recaro seats from BMW 2002 offer comfort and lateral support, and the heating system comes from an electric unit under the rear bench.
Rediger proved the car’s everyday practicality during a four-week road trip through Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg in May. Highlights: Take the ferry from Seoul to Tangier in Morocco, Morocco. In total, the electric Beetle covered nearly 5,000 miles (8,000 km) without a single technical issue.
This story originally came from Motor1 Germany.
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Source: Knipper Worms and More
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Knipper bugs and more
