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JimmyJagged Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2016 Posts: 88 Location: San Juan Capistrano, CA
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:01 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc. |
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EV West in San Diego has had VW & Porsche EV conversion kits for several years now. Their website does not show Vanagon yet.
In addition to the $7500 conversion kit, you will need batteries (I estimate around $6,000).
Range approximates 250 miles; not long enough for road trips. Hopefully range will increase in the next few years.
https://www.evwest.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRAQu0b8-o _________________ Current:
1971 Tin Top Weekender Bus
1973 Squareback
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon (my 19yo son's first car. father/son project)
1985 Pop Top Weekender Vanagon w/ 2.5 Subaru
Past:
1976 Rabbit diesel (my first car). RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1973 Pop Top Westfalia Weekender Bus. RIP. Blown engine due to 25yo ignorant of VW maintenance (me).
1986 Vanagon Transporter. RIP. totaled by drunk driver (not me!)
1987 Vanagon Syncro. I never should have sold. |
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nohabusguy Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2004 Posts: 63 Location: New York
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:09 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc. |
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IdahoDoug wrote: |
Shepherding the range would rise to the top priority so I don't get stranded. |
I have enough break down anxiety without now having to add electric range anxiety too. _________________ 1967 Double Cab
1967 21 Window Deluxe Bus
1989 Westy Syncro (Subaru 2.5, dreaming of installing a NAHT)
1990 Doka Syncro (WBX 2.1) |
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stuzbot Samba Member
Joined: March 30, 2018 Posts: 377 Location: Pining for the Puddles of Yesterday
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:45 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc. |
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IdahoDoug wrote: |
...Now look at how I use my Van... I head out with a fully packed vehicle for beautiful places to hang.... No more wandering back roads and exploring. It would be point to point with as minimal driving as possible... |
Yes. I can see how the "range anxiety" thing is a much bigger issue in some countries more than others.
Over here in Europe [or more particularly UK & Ireland, which is what I'm familiar with] even in the most remote place you can find, you're never going to be more than 20 or 30 miles from a decent sized town. So, as long as you keep an eye on your reserves of charge, it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
nohabusguy wrote: |
...I have enough break down anxiety without now having to add electric range anxiety too... |
I think I'd have a lot less breakdown anxiety with an electric vehicle. They're so much simpler mechanically; about 20 moving parts vs 2000 in an ICE is a figure I've keep seeing bandied about. _________________ *****************************
Click to view image
*****************************
1992 VW LT35 2,4D [SOLD]
1993 VW LT35 2,4D [SOLD]
1992 VW T3 1,6TD Syncro [SOLD]
***************************** |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9603 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:29 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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The ability to top off your 'tank' at home, nightly, for a fraction of the price & "effort" of petrol will be a game-changer for sure. Electric vehicles will constitute a direct financial payback ..... and financial incentive for installing a home Solar array (or wind).
The Energy investment sector will resist this mightily and your congressmen/women will have to act (on their behalf) with tariffs and other deterrents.
In the USA we support these kind of industry people in our government so this will be a serious impediment.
Increased grid connection fees and taxes and other dis-incentives will be enacted easily.
Energy associations will pour money into community appearance campaigns, resulting in covenants restricting solar panels or windmills.
Energy gathering devices are not often "attractive" thus will be easy targets.
=========
For awhile, all the EV explorers will be following the exact same routes as the EV explorer "Who's gone before them".
As charging stations increase in number, and battery range increases, EVs will start to branch out into the old petrol vehicle territories. Remote motels and stores will add charging to attract these travelers.
Energy lobbyists will attempt to restrict free charging stations, again, using their network of local, state and federal legislators.
In the meantime the petrol vehicle territory will contract as demand for petrol stations declines.
The price of petrol will drop too.
The petrol distributors will have to offer the stations the same "dollar amount of profit" that they've squeezed them down to (which is about "net").
Which will be a substantially higher "percentage" of the fuel sales (but same actual dollars).
Electric vehicles will be a game-changer.
People can gather their own energy.
Bring it on. _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Merian Samba Member
Joined: January 04, 2014 Posts: 5212 Location: Orygun
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:08 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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BTW, when PG&E shuts off the power you cannot pump gas either.
I agree that EVs now are best for commuter vehicles, but longer range & faster charging is coming soon - even w/o a range extender _________________ .... |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12115 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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By the time all that's been sorted out, there will also be better drive units for long distance runners. I think the OP's drive unit is a perfect candidate for a vintage Beetle, KG or Type 3. _________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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Zeitgeist 13 Samba Member
Joined: March 05, 2009 Posts: 12115 Location: Port Manteau
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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I recognize that most of you aren't interested in VAG drivetrains, but this is a nice reminder that your favorite offbrand's competitor is rapidly moving forward with electronicals.
Link
_________________ Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik? |
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pdxleaf Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 43 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:09 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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https://youtu.be/omft20Uro-s
This might help you forget about range...
Link
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pdxleaf Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014 Posts: 43 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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Also, my family has about 60K miles in a fully electric car (Leaf.) Granted, it's not the same use as a van for camping. But EVs work and they are here to stay and they are only getting better. (I REALLY want an electric bus.) |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32574 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:55 pm Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc. |
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stuzbot wrote: |
IdahoDoug wrote: |
...Now look at how I use my Van... I head out with a fully packed vehicle for beautiful places to hang.... No more wandering back roads and exploring. It would be point to point with as minimal driving as possible... |
Yes. I can see how the "range anxiety" thing is a much bigger issue in some countries more than others.
Over here in Europe [or more particularly UK & Ireland, which is what I'm familiar with] even in the most remote place you can find, you're never going to be more than 20 or 30 miles from a decent sized town. So, as long as you keep an eye on your reserves of charge, it shouldn't be too much of an issue.
nohabusguy wrote: |
...I have enough break down anxiety without now having to add electric range anxiety too... |
I think I'd have a lot less breakdown anxiety with an electric vehicle. They're so much simpler mechanically; about 20 moving parts vs 2000 in an ICE is a figure I've keep seeing bandied about. |
My latest one day trek was Kentucky to Pennsylvania, 660 miles in a smidgen over 11 hours. There's not yet an electric vehicle in existence that can do that.
We woke up in the area of Daniel Boones later life in Kentucky and went to bed in the town of his birth that evening.
Some say to "fly" on such trips, but honestly the expense and time / hassle required isn't worth it for me.
Between getting to the airport early, being herded around like cattle in a slaughter yard, flight delays, squeezed into a flying germ filled tooth paste tube, claiming baggage, renting a car ........ no thank you very much! A huge time sink and money grab for little if any improved travel / time experience.
My Wife and I got to spend a quiet day together catching up and chatting ..... we only used about a tank and a half of gas .... about $40 or so. We packed our own food. We never shut the car off at all.
Going down we took our time, went through the mountains and forests of West Virginia, made a multiday journey.
That's the daily range possibility I want.
Dave _________________ Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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oceanair Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2013 Posts: 720 Location: Victoria, BC
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 8:57 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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The reality is that sooner rather than later we travel 300 miles or so and stop, pay $10 for a 30 min quick charge and then go another 300 miles. I am Canadian, but the US will sooner than later have a network of charging stations as to what is happening here. Petro Canada, which is not owned by the Government is now adding EV quick charging stations to their network of gas stations. So for 10 - 15 minutes longer than what it takes to fill your gas tank, you can charge. Plus in an EV you can wait in your heated/AC car or go into the shop.
It is coming -- there is a building need and the marketplace will respond. _________________ 84 Vanagon Pop Top Conversion from Tin Top, 1970 Ghia - all sweet rides! Love em!
Previous: Green 72 Tin Top, White 72 Westy, Blue 64 Beetle, Yellow 71 Squareback, 2014 Jetta TDI Wagon - wish I could have them all back! |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4348 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:16 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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First Electric vehicle I know of was build by Ferdinand Porsche about 120 years ago.
Cool idea.
Takes some time for good ideas to come around.
I might get to see the day that a rural lad such as I am can have such a toy.
I get to see enormous machines in corn and bean fields churning dried plants into billowing chaff and wagons of grain.
This will not change.
There will be some form of liquid fuel to power this kind of monster until you can fit a fusion reactor in a combine, and probably long after that too.
By then, there will be plenty of other options.
By then, I will have long since been devoured by microbes.
Live NOW
Thanks, Dr. Porsche, hope to meet you some day. _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15143 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:31 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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agreed, when we run out of diesel
we run out of food
and we run out of city people about the same time..
you can't generate enough life resources off of electricity alone to fulfill the current population much less the expansion rate of the human race.
something else needs to change than our mode of transportation to save the human races and planet. but lets not focus on that. |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9797 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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I distinctly recall being promised a flying car in 1958. Still waiting for that one too. |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3576 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:10 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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Ahwahnee wrote: |
I distinctly recall being promised a flying car in 1958. Still waiting for that one too. |
Now Ahwahnee, you can't believe everything that the Comic Books promised you back in the day when you were really young... _________________ '68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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mikemtnbike Samba Member
Joined: March 26, 2015 Posts: 2795 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:13 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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Yeah, as I often post in these threads, it's kind of depressing to look back at the Mother Earth News collection I have from the 70-80's and see how we were going to have electric and fuel cell cars then...and how people were making electric cars with 150 mile range using airplane alternators and golf cart batteries on a Manx body (VW content! )
That said, even though I've already made two of the "greenest" choices possible in my life (vegetarian for 29 years and won't be increasing the population), it's still my responsibility to do everything else I can, even if it isn't an actual "fix." _________________ 1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual |
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SCM Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011 Posts: 3114 Location: Bozeman MT
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:17 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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Ahwahnee wrote: |
I distinctly recall being promised a flying car in 1958. Still waiting for that one too. |
I saw an interview with Neil Degras Tyson where he was asked, "what happened to flying cars"? He answered, "we have them, they're called 'bridges'". Then he went into all the reasons flying cars aren't really an answer to anything that we haven't already addressed. Pretty interesting stuff. _________________ '91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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Ahwahnee Samba Member
Joined: June 05, 2010 Posts: 9797 Location: Mt Lemmon, AZ
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:27 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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SCM wrote: |
...Then he went into all the reasons flying cars aren't really an answer to anything that we haven't already addressed... |
But they'd be so friggin' cool.
https://www.google.com/search?q=popular+mechanics+...AQ_AUIEigB |
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bobbyblack Samba Member
Joined: May 21, 2015 Posts: 4348 Location: United States, Iowa
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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mikemtnbike wrote: |
... I've already made two of the "greenest" choices possible in my life (vegetarian for 29 years and won't be increasing the population), it's still my responsibility to do everything else I can, even if it isn't an actual "fix." |
I have to agree, and disagree.
There have been carnivorous microbes, bugs, and animals in many millions of years outside of modern human existence where the planet was green. Maybe more green than if there were no such creatures? I'd have to say that a handful of folks who are purely plant eaters is a good thing. It brings a spotlight to the idea such a strategy or philosophy and is a good direction to head. But for everybody? Don't get me wrong, I like folks of all walks. BUT, I'd have to say if I could run my car off a few squirrels running in a treadmill, I sure would not want them as dead as when I catch them chewing on my Transporter. Then, when I kill the squirrel, I should eat it.
I tend to mimic my environment.
Oh... and, around here, most of the electricity comes from Coal.
Go figure _________________ '87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch |
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E1 Samba Member
Joined: January 21, 2013 Posts: 6529 Location: Westfalia, Earth
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Posted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 11:50 am Post subject: Re: Why worry about engine conversions, better transmissions, etc.? |
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mikemtnbike wrote: |
That said, even though I've already made two of the "greenest" choices possible in my life (vegetarian for 29 years and won't be increasing the population), it's still my responsibility to do everything else I can, even if it isn't an actual "fix." |
Takes balls to admit the latter, a concept that's almost Taboo in common discourse. We made the same decision at 19, liking the idea of our impact dying with us.
Although, if we did have a kid, I'd want one just like Bobby Black — despite gray hair being a bit unbecoming on an 8th grader.
The former is also a great way to accomplish same, though more so while we're still alive to eat. We're about 80% vegetarian, if such a thing exists.
So far as electric cars, as one to whom internal combustions are symphonic and caves blow condos away, just shoot me. _________________ ‘84 Westy, 2.1L with Digijet, 5.43 R+P, GT Gears
"Adding power makes you faster on the straights.
Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere."
— Colin Chapman |
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