Sucks to suck, Optimus Prime.

When it comes time to buy a new vehicle, you usually need to make some choices. Are you looking for a sedan, an SUV, a minivan? If you’ve committed to a pickup truck, you can’t later turn it into a sports car. Which sucks, because most of us use our vehicles for many different purposes, and it’d be great if you could just swap out parts depending on your plans.

That’s one of the driving ideas behind the eBussy, an electric microbus concept from a German company called Electric Brands. The (sigh, unfortunately named) eBussy sports a retro-cute exterior evoking the swinging ‘60s, and a battery that promises a range of 124 miles on a charge. (You can also configure it with a larger battery for about 373 miles worth of driving range.) Roof-mounted solar panels help recharge while you’re driving, and regenerative braking can extend the range.

ELECTRIC BRANDS

Beyond those electric-drive basics, though, the most intriguing thing about eBussy is its customizable, modular design. The chassis comes in two configurations: off-road and city. On top of that, you have the choice of ten different body styles. That means you can swap from a simple passenger van into a pickup or a camper, or even a surf van. If you want a panel van, just swap in a new body.

Right now the eBussy is more concept than reality, but Electric Brands says it’ll arrive sometime next year in Europe, with a base model starting at around $18,000 and climbing up to $33,000 for the most expensive model, the off-road camper. No word yet on whether it’ll soon appear on American roads, but if you’d like to know more, check out the introductory video below:

Via MensHealth.com