
An Actually Usable VW Bus: The Kindred EV Bus — Carmudgeon Ep 241 w/ Jason Cammisa & Derek Tam-Scott
The Carmudgeon ShowShow Notes
This week, we drive an icon that’s been electrified - the Kindred EV Bus, based off of the Volkswagen Microbus. While most of us typically mourn the conversion of many classic cars to EV, this particular conversion may change your mind…
=== Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote! ===
While most EV conversions strip away the character and soul of a gas car with a great engine, the Volkswagen Microbus is one of those vehicles that was never really defined by its engine. Well, actually - if it was - it was defined by its acceleration, or rather the lack thereof. Many VW Buses had no more than 50 horsepower to work with, making them virtually undriveable above 50 MPH.
The Kindred EV Bus, however, rewrites the rulebook - accelerating from 0-60 in just 7.6 seconds. While that may not seem particularly notable when many modern EVs are twice as fast, this changes the game for this 23-window Microbus - making it genuinely usable in everyday driving. And when the rest of the vehicle was already defined by its iconic styling and form within function, is it now even better than original?
All this and more on this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show. Special thanks to Kindred Motorworks for lending us this bus for testing! Check them out at https://kindredmotorworks.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from The Carmudgeon Show
Monterey Car Week 2026 - another wild ride. This week, we come live from Pebble Beach at the Hagerty House with a live studio audience!Jason and Derek dive into all the different happenings this year - and determine whether or not this year was better or worse than others previously.Jason brought his Rover SD1 to show, and his Volkswagen Cabrio VR6 swap to go - with appearances including but not limited to: Monterey British, Concours For A Cure, Little Car Show, Concours D’Lemons, Motorlux, Quail Motorsports Gathering, and Pebble Beach Concours. Jason and Derek discuss the good, bad, and the (beautifully) ugly - what’s improved, worsened, and stayed the same.One thing is for sure - the broccoli heads in the G80 M3s are here to stay. But have THEY ruined everything for other attendees? Maybe not…Derek revisits various auction results from Broad Arrow, as well as Gooding and RM Sothebys. This episode was recorded before the $40M Ferrari Luce sale - however some other notable discussed results include the S123 Mercedes-Benz 280TE with a $252K sale, the $17M Ferrari SP3, and several others.Jason and Derek’s favorite new unveiling was of course the Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) S1 - which in many ways, is the rebirth of the road-going McLaren F1. The interest in the S1, the GMA T.33 and T.50, and manual Porsche GT cars has led to a trend of manufactures releasing new manual offerings - including the McLaren McL 6GT and Ferrari 12Cilindri Manuale. Could this trend continue to repeat? Only time (and money) will tell…All this and more, on this week’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week: Jason recaps the latest Hagerty ICONS video - discussing Temerario, the new baby Lamborghini, and its siblings from different eras of baby Lambo family tree. Needless to say, it’s quite a performer - the likes of which have never been approached by any other non-speciality Lamborghini ever. But is that alone enough to make it an icon?
The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, Toyota Land Cruiser + 4Runner, Porsche 911, Ford F-150, and Range Rover, all have several things in common. Slow depreciation compared to other vehicles in their class, nameplates that have lasted for decades, loyal owners that keep coming back for more and bucket listed for others.
On today's episode, Jason and Derek settle a common debate - as a lifelong car enthusiast, is working in the automotive industry a dream job?
Today’s episode of The Carmudgeon Show is a bumper episode. It’s also a headlight, taillight, and side market episode - all of the above which were effected greatly in the mid-1970s to 1980s by updated US Department of Transportation regulations in 1974.===Visit http://JasonSentMe.com to get a Hagerty Guaranteed Value (TM) collector-car insurance quote! ===