This Electric VW Beetle Packs 601 HP—and Looks Totally Stock

A seemingly stock, marathon-blue VW Beetle 1303 has been transformed into one of Germany’s most extreme EV restomods.

Built by Knepper Bugs & More and registered as the Knepper 1303 RS-E, the car hides a three-phase asynchronous electric motor rated at 601 PS and 702 Nm.

But the full output is reserved for track use.

During a short test in Rahden, owner Rüdiger Knepper handed over the keys with a warning:

“We’ll run Standard Mode today—power is limited to about 200 PS.”

Even dialled back, the Beetle still punches forward with a smooth, surprising surge that has you brushing up against the speed limit in no time on a country road.

“The full 601 PS setup is really only meant for the track — that’s the only place it’s certified to run,” explains Rüdiger Knepper. “On public roads, we’re limited to a TÜV-approved 200 PS.”

The project started when Knepper picked up a tired, sunbaked 1975 VW 1303 from a scrapyard in California.

He and his son René then rebuilt the Beetle from scratch.

The body was brought back to life in Marathon Blue, and a few subtle touches — like wider carbon rear arches and a carbon roof spoiler — quietly hint at the serious hardware hiding underneath.

On a technical level, the RS-E makes a clear point: classic cars can keep their original soul while moving into the electric era.

For enthusiasts, the Knepper 1303 RS-E shows that when an EV conversion is done right, you can have the authenticity you love and the performance you don’t expect.