Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
Business
Ronald D. White

They'll turn your gas guzzler into an EV. But be prepared to wait

Tony Hawk Tesla Inc. Corvette

Mark Wagner isn't sure what he enjoys more: the looks he gets when he pulls his ancient Volkswagen ragtop into a EV charger parking space, or the looks he gets because of what he does next.

Wagner's car rolled off of a VW Beetle assembly line in 1962, the year Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev played nuclear brinkmanship with President Kennedy.

But Wagner's Bug no longer carries an upgraded, Cold War-era 40-horsepower engine and 12.5 gallon fuel tank. They've been replaced with a Curtis C-50 Brushless electric motor and part of an 85kWh battery pack scavenged from a Tesla Model S.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Why Does Your Skin Look Flawless in One Light but Dull in Another?
From bathroom mirrors and dressing rooms to selfies and makeup counters, lighting can dramatically influence how your complexion appears. The reason lies in how different light sources interact with your skin, colour perception and the shadows created by your facial features. So, why does your skin look different under yellow…
MyLifeXP
MyLifeXP
Canada woman buys Snickers and Twix for Halloween. Then she holds a bar up to her hand and notices the size: ‘This is a package of air’
Another case of shrinkflation
We Got This Covered
We Got This Covered
17% of Young Adults Have Gone Into Debt to Date — How Much Is Romance Costing Now?
Finding love has never been free, but dating costs are becoming a serious financial concern for younger Americans. A September 2026 survey found that 17% of Gen Z and millennials have taken on debt to maintain a lifestyle with someone they were dating. Between restaurant bills, transportation, entertainment, and appearance-related…
Budget and the Bees
Budget and the Bees
California cement worker turned discarded bottles into 200 desert art trees along Route 66
California cement worker Elmer Long transformed discarded glass bottles and scrap metal into an unusual art forest along Route 66. His two-acre Bottle Tree Ranch, featuring around 200 trees and over 1,000 bottles, became a popular tourist attraction. As Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, Long's family continues…
The Times of India
The Times of India
Apollo 16 Astronaut Says UFOs Are Literally Demons and Claims God Proved It Over a Morning Breakfast
Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke says a breakfast conversation confirmed his belief that UFOs are demonic, while NASA evidence does not support either extraterrestrial or supernatural explanations.
International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Plastic Additive Marketed as Safer Phthalate Swap Linked to Slightly Smaller Newborns in 6,617 U.S. Pregnancies
Higher levels of DINCH, a plastic additive used to replace phthalates, were linked to smaller newborns in 6,617 U.S. pregnancies. Here is what the study shows.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play