![Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]](http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/12/370z-gt-academy_143x85.jpg)
Electric Trabant revival slated to debut at Frankfurt
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Aug 14th 2009 at 1:29PM 
Herpa New Trabant renderings - Click above for high-res image gallery
Anyone who's spent any time in East Germany is likely very familiar with the original Trabant, a diminutive automobile that was built and sold in the communist bloc. While the Trabant wasn't a particularly good car, it enjoys something of a cult following and is apparently ripe for a remake.
Unlike the old Trabant's smoky and extremely dirty two-stroke engine, the proposed New Trabant from Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH will feature clean electric power. Interestingly, Herpa is a German company that specializes in model cars and the whole idea sprang forth from a tiny little toy that brought the would-be automaker a ton of attention.
A rooftop solar panel should add a bit of power to the battery, which is reportedly expected to push the New Trabant up to a range of 250 kilometers (about 156 miles). A concept will be shown at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show and Herpa hopes to have the electric vehicle into production by 2012 if adequate investment can be procured.
Gallery: Herpa new Trabant
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lucas 1:32PM (8/14/2009)
MS Paint rocks!
Reply
Farmboy 1:56PM (8/14/2009)
MS Word is illegal!!! hahaha
BoxerFanatic 1:41PM (8/14/2009)
I knew this era of nationalist or socialist central planning of the auto industry on pretty much every continent that automakers exist on, that the Trabant would be coming back.
And it figures that it would be greenie-electric...
Reply
Epyx 3:19PM (8/14/2009)
classic observation
RG 2:00PM (8/14/2009)
*crickets*
To both the article and the post.
Reply
John P. 2:30PM (8/14/2009)
I would drive that.
Reply
DieselFan 2:34PM (8/14/2009)
BoxerFanatic,
Are you implying those "greenies" are a bunch of commies? I agree.
Also, I think they may have more than a little trouble finding that needed investment!
Reply
Epyx 3:21PM (8/14/2009)
This car looks like it has Herpa - IES
Reply
DinkumThinkum 10:58PM (8/14/2009)
"wasn't a particularly good car" -- this is an understatement of a year.
Trabant was a POS made of cardboard.
The early versions even had the gas tank under the hood right in front of a passenger -- the fuel turn off valve was reachable from under the dashboard and the fuel was gravity fed to the carburetor.
Still, one of the best achievements in the history of Communism.
Reply
bduddy 12:38AM (8/15/2009)
What, exactly, would the point of a "green" Trabant be?
Reply
BoxerFanatic 1:34AM (8/15/2009)
It meets the eco-greenie mandates of the new central planners.
"Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. Don't get fooled again."
And to DieselFan, I say... yes.
The new revolution motivation is "green". The new haven for old authoritarianism and enemy of freedom and development, even honestly responsible participants.
Just look at every last thing they propose, when you look past the thin "environmentalist" clothing they dress it up in. It is heavy-handed restriction by government, that limits freedom.
A century ago, it was clothed in retaliation of workers revolt against industrial revolution capitalists, via class warfare. Now it is the retaliation of the politics of using the environment as a government-wielded bludgeon against the same old foes.
Freedom generates a diverse, advanced mix of products, that enthusiasts come to places like Autoblog to be enthusiastic about, at least somewhat.
Authoritarian, central planning and control of government builds things like....
The Trabant.
And now the Eco-Trabant. The updated politically corrected resurrection.
Phil 1:46AM (8/15/2009)
nice plate. i can feel the sores already
Reply
GOT 7:19AM (8/15/2009)
By the looks of this car there's not much chance Herpa will be able to screw up the production model. ;D
Actually, the design sort of looks interesting. I'm curious to see how it pans out.
Reply