Geneva may be as far from a sandy desert or long stretch of beach as you can get, but that’s where Volkswagen chose to reveal its rebooted dune buggy.

The I.D. Buggy that rolled onto the stage at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday is an electric off-roader based on VW’s new battery-powered platform that was built to demonstrate its flexibility.

(VW)

The skateboard-style modular chassis can be stretched and squeezed to accommodate a wide array of body types, and will underpin many of the automaker’s upcoming zero-emissions vehicles, including a retro Microbus-style minivan.

VW MICROBUS RETURNS:

In the case of the I.D. Buggy, it’s equipped with an 201 hp electric motor in the rear and a battery pack designed for “short but active” distances of up to 155 miles per charge. At just 160 inches, the vehicle is almost the exact same length as the VW Type 1 that the first dune buggies were based on. The platform allows for a second motor up front to provide all-wheel-drive and additional power.

(VW)

The body of the I.D. Buggy was designed to echo the Meyers Manx of the 1960s. It’s composite body has no doors and is completely weatherproof, but does come with a fabric bikini top that can be installed to provide some protection from the sun.

(VW)

VW hasn’t confirmed plans to put the I.D. Buggy into production yet, but with its easily removable body, it is pitching it as a palette for the custom car builders of the future.