An All-Electric Makeover For the Trabant, East Germany's Iconic Communist-Era Ride.

In what could very well become the auto industry's greatest comeback story, a trio of German companies is hoping to introduce a revamped version of the pride of DDR auto engineering: the Soviet-era Trabant.

24 D size batteries (not included).

This is a disgrace! Electric makeover? This new Trabi will be a car for useful idiots, not oppressed proles the real heroes of communism. A real communist doesn't care about the "environment" or whatever fashion statement that floats the UI's boat. A real People's car has a two-stroke engine, can't make it up any sort of hill and spews our pollution like a steam freighter. OK, we need to give the UI's what they want I guess but they better be careful when we've won. Then they'll be used themselves to fuel the new korrekt Trabi's two-stroke engines.

Are you sure this is for real? The background makes this look like it's part of my son's 8th Grade science fair.

And what's that huge cylinder-type object directly behind the car? It looks like one of those champagne fountains used at weddings or it's the warp drive from the U.S.S. Enterprise. Is that how they're going to power this clunker? "Just stick it in the back seat! 10 rads per hour is good for you."

Stalin for Time wrote:

And what's that huge cylinder-type object directly behind the car?

I think that's the optional still for making the alcohol fuel that runs the generator that charges the battery that makes the wheels go round and round.

Very efficient and eco-friendly. You never run out of "juice" to power your car, use as anti-freeze or escape the crushing reality that you own a crappy electric car.

Comrade Whoopie wrote:24 D size batteries (not included).

Comrade Whoopie,

Bummer. The weight of those is going to cut down on the mileage, and I hate to think how many spare packs you'll have to carry. What do D batteries even cost nowadays?

I think circling the car with a belt of AA batteries would be better because they're not only more widely sold but also would come to resemble a suicide belt, and what could be more stylish than that?