Kombi drivers are a passionate bunch. They own their cars for years and pass them down through generations. Once upon a time they were the poster children for progressiveness and a better world. Unfortunately the Kombi is still a petrol car. As part of Volkswagen’s push to a more sustainable future we wanted to leverage the original spirit of flower power and the Kombi, but to do that we needed to make a change to the Kombi itself.

Volkswagen created The Greenprint. An open source set of plans that anyone can use to turn their Kombi into an EV, in 20 easy-ish steps. We made an all-in-one kit available, or owners could source the parts themselves with our approved list, and not pay us a cent. An online hub housed further details about each step, along with user generated videos and FAQs – by the people, for the people in true VW spirit.

Every new car manufactured takes an average of 6 tons of Co2 to produce, even EVs. So instead of trying to sell people a new car, we created a way for them to future proof the one they had.

We utilized one of our most iconic vehicles – the Kombi. Tapping into a group of owners who, while now older, once were known for their hopes for a better world. They’re also known for their DIY approach and close knit community – so they were perfect to launch a project like this.

Anyone interested in the project could download the Greenprint Poster, and then dive in to more in depth instructions online.

The Greenprint was launched in June 2023, with an activation and poster handouts at New Zealand’s largest trade show, along with multiple PR features in TV, print and online in the same week. These PR placements directed viewers to download the Greenprint from our website, which also housed more in depth videos and content. Online video also aired at this time. In October 2023 the all-in-one conversion kit was made available via the Volkswagen website and live Q&A sessions were held.

2,000 Greenprint plans have been downloaded so far, impressive for a country that only has 1,000 registered Kombis. And for every conversion undertaken, an average of 1.7 tonnes of Co2 will be saved, per year. Because sometimes the best new car for the planet is an old one.