Behind the Scenes of Volkswagen’s ‘Electric Future’ at the Petersen Museum

By S.J. Bryan - December 24, 2019

Team Speed spoke with the curator of the museum about its exhibit, and how VW’s past informs its future.

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has just opened its latest exhibit: “Building an Electric Future.” Partnered with Volkswagen, the exhibit explores the directions the automaker is planning to explore in the future. At the forefront is electrification. Volkswagen has stated previously they intend to be producing all electric cars by 2026.

With this exhibit, Volkswagen has given attendees unprecedented access to their vision of future mobility; as well as their modular electric drive matrix (MEB). Visitors get to see concept vehicles, participate in interactive exhibits, and follow the auto making process from inception and design, to manufacturing, and assembly.

But, an important component in designing the future comes from looking at the past. And Volkswagen has offered a few of their most memorable and impactful vehicles: a 1952 Volkswagen Type 2 Deluxe Microbus, and a Dune Buggy. These old-school faves are always just so cool to see in person. And they do blend pretty seamlessly with with the innovative concept cars that usher in a new future for the automaker.

But also on display are a host of concept cars and EVs from Volkswagen, as well as a few other automakers. Electric seems a little more apt a term to use when you see the Volkswagen ID. lineup of cars, including all-electric cars such as the ID. 3 compact car, ID. R race car and the new ID. Vizzion.

The Vizzion will turn heads, it is a sleek looking ride. The autonomous car stuns in its design, inspired by the GT and using SUV styling cues, it is an exciting car, with very cool suicide doors, to boot.

It is a fascinating journey to see how vehicles evolve from a spark of an idea, to a design, onto a scale model, and finally the end result.

Another highlight is the XL Sport concept–inspired and based on the limited-production VW XL1 and powered by 200 hp, Ducati motorcycle two-cylinder engine.

What is perhaps most striking about the exhibit is its unabashed energy. There is no sense of a monochromatic, dull EV future. It unfolds an abundance of vivid colors, bold lines, and cars that were created with a palpable sense of excitement and fun. Volkswagen is clearly looking at the idea of electric vehicles as an impelling opportunity for not only car enthusiasts; but for the automotive industry as well, from design to manufacturing.

We spoke with Brittanie Kinch, curator of the “Electric Future” exhibit, to learn more.

Team Speed: Why is now an important time for the Petersen to have this particular exhibit?

Brittanie Kinch, Petersen Museum: The Petersen, as you know, has a very robust exhibit program, and this particular year they were looking for ways to explore and actively feature what we’re calling the “Electric Future.” So, this exhibit fit very well. Part of the museum is dedicated to stories about engineering. We wanted to recreate something…a place to tell the story of manufacturing. So this had a lot of draw for a multifaceted storage [exhibit] for us.

TS: And Volkswagen is clearly that the forefront of that.

Petersen: They have a program dedicated to e-mobility and it that allows us to showcase what that is. There’s a lot of foreign factories who have dedicated their production lines to e-mobility. But Volkswagen is the first to first complete factory dedicated to mass production of e-cars.

TS: Perhaps no space is more fitting than the Petersen for conveying the freewheeling, beachy, California lifestyle that VW became synonymous. How does seeing these rides from the past fit in to the overall theme?

Petersen: Well we first wanted to connect it to Southern California. We open the exhibit with the Transporter, the Type 2 Microbus which has a great cult fan following. They’re still very interested in preserving that culture; that Volkswagen culture and its different phases throughout automotive culture and Southern Californian culture. They are dedicated to their markets, they’re dedicated to their main base. A lot of the design evolution–from looking at the historic models–show that while the MEB platform is new, they’re still creating things like the ID Buzz…building off their heritage.

TS: And with that heritage, one thing that stands out is how VW translates its bold past into future EVs. Volkswagen seems to be hinting towards dynamic and colorful vehicles to come.

Petersen: Well, I cannot speak for [Volkswagen]…but I think that what they’re suggesting is bold. A push forward…much more really integrating a lifestyle with each brand. I think from just a curatorial perspective, like you said, we’re trying to we’re trying to show the outcome…and conceptually, to think about what those automobiles will look like look like in the future.

TS: Speaking of, can you tell us about the vehicles we will see in display?

BK: There are four models of the cars, one of those is the ID Buzz [Buggy] and the ID R [race car]. And then there’s the MEB platform. And at the last bay is the brilliant ID Vizzion model.

Petersen (Cont’d): We’re discussing the various models that this platform can really be…applied to. But we’re trying to show the process…from the initial design process, and going and developing this all-electric factory…and how that evolved into this pure concept model. It’s basically visualizing…the production process, and how all of these very complex parts come together to become the final product.

TS: Certainly, designers and engineers face new and different issues with electric or autonomous cars, they have adjust and adapt to the changing technology. How is that shown that in the exhibit?

Petersen: We show a lot of the design concepts for the exterior and interior design components, not just the engine. One bay focuses on ergonomics… and another bay is devoted to the concept of the platform. We see how designers have to work together to develop the finished product.

TS: Tell us about “The Green Factory”part of the exhibit?

Petersen: In ‘The Green Factory’ we have a virtual reality experience that takes you through six different aspects of the factory facility. All of the automation that takes place. You really get inside the factory.

TS: It is surprising that Volkswagen was comfortable showing so much of manufacturing process, and their platform.

Petersen: I was surprised that Volkswagen let us see something can could be considered proprietary. It’s kind of a very raw display, the willingness of Volkswagen to show the world what they’re necessarily doing with this technology.

TS: We just have to say some of our readers are just diehard fans of the internal combustion engine. Do you think that an exhibit like this could actually change some minds?

Petersen: Definitely. I think some people come to this with their preconceived knowledge of what a combustion vehicle is and what an EV vehicle is. And it allows people to spend more time with [EVs] in a different space. Generally a little more interaction will impact the other. How would you want to interact with it? And that is the function of a museum: to help spread knowledge…it really focuses on how these new cars are going to be–yes, very, very different–but more of an additive to your daily life rather than taking away from them. It’s an interesting approach and showing how it augments the future. For people who don;t have that much of a love of technology, maybe it’s not the car. But it is the car the future.

It is definitely an exhibit worth checking out. “Building an Electric Future” will be running at the Petersen until September of 2022. We certainly think that this particular vision of the future looks very intriguing, powerful, and frankly, electrifying.