Tesla-powered VW Beetle EV puts down 738 hp to beat Model S down the drag strip

The electric car conversion scene has seen some ups and downs throughout the years, with production EVs now offering a much better value proposition than in the early days of the EV movement. That said, Electric Classic Cars on YouTube has done some excellent work converting everything from classic Porsches and Ferraris to Minis and VW Beetles to run on EV power.

One recent project featured on the Electric Classic Cars YouTube channel sees the team convert a classic VW Beetle to electric using dual Tesla Model S P100D motors and a load of custom work with the eventual purpose of taking on the Pike's Peak hill climb challenge. The electric Beetle - affectionately named BugZappa - is capable of delivering a total of 550 kW (~738 hp) through its AWD system.

In the most recent test, which is the first time the electrified Beetle has been able to put down 100% of its power on a drag strip, the Beetle EV managed an impressive quarter-mile time of just 10.5 seconds. Just as impressive was BugZappa's 0-60 mph time, taking a mere 2.79 seconds to complete the sprint.

That acceleration is notably slower than the original Tesla Model S P100D, which MotorTrend tested and found to complete the same 0-60 mph sprint in just 2.28 seconds. However, the Beetle still managed to beat out DragTimes's Model S P100D's 1/4-mile time of 10.7 seconds. Although Richard from Electric Classic Cars didn't make the comparison, his electric Beetle conversion is officially faster than the original Tesla Model S P100D it gets its motors from.

To manage this impressive performance - remember, the original VW Beetle had somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40-50 hp - the Electric Classic Cars Beetle EV required plentiful customization and reinforcements. Among the custom work was a bulkier chassis with a roll cage, as well as improved suspension, drive shafts, and axles to handle the ~1,600% power increase.

Check out the Airfix Quickbuild Volkswagen Beetle Yellow Brick Building Model Kit on Amazon.