AUDI restores 1971 NSU prinz 4L into fully electric car 'EP4' styled as modern buggy

AUDI reintroduces 1971 NSU Prinz 4L as electric car EP4

AUDI brings back its iconic car, the NSU Prinz 4L, and reintroduces it as a fully electric vehicle, the EP4, styled as a modern buggy with neon green accents. Built in 1971, AUDI’s classic car, the NSU Prinz 4L, has been off the road for decades until its return in January 2023. The electrified debut coincides with the 150th anniversary of the AUDI site in Neckarsulm. The EP4 is not only a restoration project for AUDI but also a collective work from its twelve apprentices at the Four Rings.

The trainees from the automotive mechatronics, bodywork, vehicle construction mechanics, and painting courses proudly unveiled the EP4, with the E standing for electric drive and the P4 for the 1971 NSU Prinz 4. The apprentices brought the 1971 NSU Prinz 4L back to life and fitted it with a new high-voltage heart from AUDI’s e-Tron arsenal. From the exterior to the engines, the parts and bodywork of the new EP4 electric car embody a modern flair for car design while still honoring its original roots.

images courtesy of AUDI AG

Muscular fenders created using 3D printing

For the EP4, AUDI and its apprentices showcase the origins of the 1971 NSU Prinz 4L by incorporating its historic elements such as the lights and body lines. They restored the body, painted it in AUDI colors, and added the anniversary lettering ‘150’ on the side of the vehicle. They modified the performance of the electric car by shifting and improving the chassis and bodywork, including using an AUDI A1 floor pan and widening its body frame.

The muscular fenders were designed with AUDI’s assistance and created through 3D printing. Wide wheels provide grip, and a rear wing adds a sporty touch. Unique to the EP4, the wing is connected to the roll cage instead of the bodywork, with supports passing through the rear window for an eye-catching effect. It contrasts the interior where the inside and other painted surfaces are black. The occupants also sit on ‘Recaro Podium’ bucket seats, and a single-board computer and corresponding screen serve instruments and displays.

AUDI brings back its 1971 NSU Prinz 4L and reintroduces it as a fully electric vehicle EP4

Maintaining the sporty look historic to racing cars

As AUDI’s apprentices embarked on the transformation of the vintage vehicle’s framework and exterior, they also took charge of revamping the 1971 NSU Prinz 4L’s powertrain, battery, and suspension for EP4. The once-occupied rear of the automobile, where the two-cylinder gasoline engine once resided, is now fitted with a 240 hp (176 kW) electric motor sourced from a 2020 Audi e-tron. This electric motor draws its energy from a battery borrowed from the plug-in hybrid AUDI Q7 TFSI e quattro.

The battery is located under the front hood where the 1971 NSU Prinz’s fuel tank once was. The electrified vehicle breathes cooling air through a wide air intake, also at the bottom of the front bumper, while heat can escape through a large opening in the front hood. The tailgate, inspired by historic racing cars derived from the sporty NSU Prinz 1000, not only enhances cooling but also offers a glimpse of the electric power plant, reminiscent of the past era’s row of exposed carburetor funnels that hinted at the sporty intentions of those vehicles.

side-by-side models of the old 1971 NSU Prinz 4L (left) and the new fully electric car EP4 (right)