Will you convert your vw to electric under 10K???

[67 Florida Deluxe]

[finster]

[Abscate]

As one who doesn’t own anything newer than 2006, here’s what I worry about

Battery cost, part only. Labor another $500

2001 – 2003 Toyota Prius (first generation) – $3,649
2004 – 2009 Toyota Prius (second generation) – $3,939
2010 – 2011 Toyota Prius (third generation) – $40,80
2012 – 2015 Toyota Prius Liftback – $3,939
2012 – 2016 Toyota Prius V – $3,939
2012 – 2016 Toyota Prius C – $3,807

Unlike ICE, where aging affects efficiency incrementally, what are the chances I end up with a late in life car where the range has dropped by 50% , which now can’t meet my range needs? That makes it a lawn ornament to me.

I can see the appeal of an electric for YouTube mechanics who approach car repair from a internet inquiry, part swapping exercise of frustration due to lack of understanding of basic mechanics.
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.ssS!

[neilchouker]

So why Im doing this guy is not because I hate gas engines at all in fact I have 3 vw bugs that are gas powered. Most vw cars are in junk yards in the million why do think they stopped producing them and I myself had hard time finding a mechanic that is willing to work on classic vw period. Houston is in the 4th largest city in the US and only have few guys that tells you to wait two weeks or so to get your car fixed. My system will be a 150 miles range at a 100 miles max speed. Under 10k compared to TEsla or any other future electric cars. This will allow many to get encouraged to find a bus or a bug from a junk yard and to get on the road a lot faster then trying to find anyone that knows how to rebuild the transxle or the engine plus electric is so so reliable. I love vw bug all my life and I know I will do my best to see more of them on the road. Not everyone knows about samba or have the knowledge to deal with mechanical issues. yes we can make a system that can be 250 miles but for now 150 miles is a prefect system. If you are into gas engines and know what you are doing you are blessed but I know in the future most gas engines are going to be band from the market. Its in the testing period right now
you know its actually about 5K system and 5-7k battery
you have the choice to buy just the system plug and go and you can choose Tesla or usa made battery from 100-150 to 250 miles
I would rather charge my vw bug and make it a daily driver then any modern car plus I can be at their speed on freeways
Harbie will be a real thing no need for dual carb etc
Even VW are making a ID BUZZ bus classic looking in electric
Ford truck oh its coming
Its allover social media

[JonL]

A local shop just replaced a battery in a new Porsche: 40k.
I'm not against electric, but the technology and infrastructure has so far to go, but will get there I'm sure.
I compare it to TV's. Electric car tech is now around the 1970's Floor TV's, but will someday be like 70" HD for $599.
To answer your question, no way I would convert any of mine at any cost.
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65 Notchback
65 21 Window

[VOLKSWAGNUT]

Would I convert one of my Vw's... eh maybe.. but probably not.. I actually enjoy the simple low tech these days.. It would have to be cheap..and Id want A/C

I've been a Auto Tech for General Motors for well over 25 years now. I'm slated to be Shop Foreman when the current one retires next year. That stated... I've been included with our dealers current endeavor to opt in on GMs newest "EV" program and the shop and infrastructure requirements that are mandatory. To amp up the facility includes but is not limited to .. a specific EV work area, HD hoist and flat bays, a forklift, numerous DC chargers for shop and sales. (some have to be specifically brand labeled...(Caddy). What we are finding out after an inspection "audit" .. the building incoming power can not handle the required projected load. So that means serious changes to the buildings power source and lay out. The last projected cost including the "opt in" was approaching the 750,000 mark so a cool Mill + is most likely. (That sounds like a lot of cars to sell and service to recoup but in reality.. its not.) Currently only two techs.. me and one young gun in "Transland" are qualified to even touch EVs in our shop so... I've been pushing training HARD. Only one maybe two in our place could even handle the required knowledge. I spend most of my days dealing with software and electrical gremlin issues. ..
Whats funny.. is this latest EV push entirely changed the path we were on. We had already had the plans drawn up, laid out and bids in for a new add on truck shop. The owner decided EV was the future... and the tiny over crowed 5 days behind truck dept would be status quo. So he ex-neighed the truck shop .. for a corner to start "EV World" .. IMO Trucks will always be trucks.. they are not going anywhere..

Im skeptical on how fast any of this is really going to take off.

USA infrastructure is NOT currently ready at all .. But I predict you will see changes.. To make EV work.. you will start to see more and more charging stations at normal everyday places that a consumer and their E vehicle spends time at..
Work, School, Megamarts, Parks, Parking Lots, Restaurants ...etc....
DC fast chargers.... can top off fairly rapidly. Some in the amount of time to go grocery shopping.. so fill up while shopping. NO.. the power grid is not ready.. Could you imagine everyone plugging up ...like they fuel up..POOF.
I doubt you will see charging stations included with major fast fuel stations.. its conflict of interest ..unless it has a place to eat inside or a place for a consumer to spend spend spend inside .. then it would make great ... cents

Recycling.. ha.. until its made easy and convenient to everyone.. its a lost cause. If someone lives in large enough city with easy to access or use recycling.. its a no brainier to do your part to help .. if someone lives out in the rural areas or the sticks.. are they going to store up (cleaned) recyclables for the next trip to the dumps? Unlikely..

Once again.. the failure in recycling is zero uniformity.. That and the unknown of what actually happens to recyclables when YOU do your part.
The cost to recycle a plastic bottle is more that the cost to make it.. so whats the point to recycle... Like it or not... money is what the world is focused on.. not recycling.. thats really sad..

Im all for EV along side fossil fuel .. EV may be my next bread and butter when no one else wants to touch them. Im starting to see more BOLTs roll in.. simple stuff so far.. and lot cleaner than the VOLTs.... most of those are hybrid dumpsters inside. I cringe when I see VOLT work order as it usually means full Hazmat protection required from all the hippie fungus inside ... Damn people are nasty... may be why sickness spreads so easy..


Funny story... our dealer has some accessible free chargers (one DC fast charger) located outside mainly for service but we allow anyone who needs a shot.. plug up..
Had a Tesla roll in.. with ONE MILE range left.. Owner got upset we didnt have the adapter needed to go from GM to his Tesla.. We dragged his portable charger out and gave it a 30 minute 120 jolt out back so he could make it to the next Tesla compatible charger..

On that note.... SAE .. the WORLD needs to standardize auto charger ports.. Look up how many EV and Hybrid ports there are globally.. its ridiculous..
Or.. is that the master plan... to sell adapters.
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aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited

[EVfun]

[cbeck]

Won't be long before mead and powell can't provide enough water to flush toilets, much less generate more power.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779

[vwracerdave]

What your gonna see is a huge crime wave of people stealing EV's and stripping the batteries out and then just abandoning the car.
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2017 Street Comp Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble, OK
2010 Sportsman ET Champion - Mid-America Dragway - Arkansas City, KS
1997 Sportsman ET Champion - Thunder Valley Raceway Park - Noble ,OK

[Zundfolge1432]

[TornadoRed06]

Hello and congratulations on your planned project.
So far, from the replies to your inquire you already have seen that many intend to 'wait and see', a significant amount of people opts out - no way I'm going to follow that route, and maybe a few ones are kind of receptive to the idea.

And while I may not be the target audience for your future project, nevertheless, I would like to forward my point of view and present some items for thought:

Converting any ICE-based vehicle, either vintage, older or somewhat newer will never be a straightforward thing and the economic value of the conversion needs to be conveniently gauged. Being ICE-based it poses constraints that would trigger boundaries on range and power if one aims to a controllable cost. Well, all this assumes that the converted vehicle is to be of acceptable reliability and dependability, of the current era canon. Lastly, from the technical point of view, I do not know unequivocally what specifications you have in mind concerning:

maximum AC 7.2kW charging power?
maximum DC charging power (if any)?
heated/cooled battery pack?

Since you also mention 'universal Tesla tech', I'm assuming you specifically talk about their battery cells.
Well, it just happens that I do not see how that can be very useful because of the way Tesla packs them; glued together in chocolate bars-like fashion. That will pose packaging challenges if one wants to keep invasive body cuts at bay in the donor body shells. Also, integration of possible battery heating/cooling features will be an additional burden if the masterplan calls for a battery pack dispersed between several places (front and rear).

I don't want to close this reply without giving my implementing suggestion/possible solution for this work:
Considering the donor car as being the Beetle, an electric motor, controller/charger and additional periferics fitted in the engine bay with some battery modules under the rear seat in addition to the main pack sitting at the front. Most likely, luggage space would be reduced to just behind the rear seat. No way I can imagine now that more than 10-12kWh of battery storage can be achieved with this layout (rendering to a theoretical range of maybe 50 miles), most possibly no battery heating/cooling capabilities and engine power upto 55kW.
So yeah, no way this EV Beetle is going to beat the Prius in the dragstrip...
And lets just hope that the mentioned system (including fitting) is well achievable under $6K. Don't know if it is.

[Abscate]

OP was writing about vintage toy cars, not daily drivers , in retrospect

People certainly spend 10k on toy cars , and certainly economics of use don’t apply to toys. Thin claims of investment value aside , most every vintage cars I these pages burn money vs add money to your pot.

A VW that just whines as it moves down the road doesn’t appeal to me but I would take that over no VW. 10k is also inline with a paid engine rework, too

Don’t forget the two thumb rule proposed for electrics, though. While charging the owner must stand by the car with one thumb in their mouth and one up their backside, and switch midway.

New sport..disconnecting cars on chargers in parking lots for fun.
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.ssS!

[will5023]

[TDCTDI]

[Abscate]

You just ruined my plan to buy $1000 broken EV beetles, sell the batteries to the guacamole burger eaters , and drop a carbon burner back in

We need a little green calling card to leave , like “ re- connecting your car to Mother Earth”
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.ssS!

[Zundfolge1432]

[Abscate]

[EVfun]

A show of hands...

How many here have driven an electric vehicle?

How many here have owned an electric vehicle?

I have driven and owned several electric vehicles. Mine have been conversions. I have not bought any of the auto makers new EVs, but I have driven a Nissan Leaf.
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[TornadoRed06]

[TornadoRed06]