Hey there, I’m really excited to finally get into a conversion!
I’m seriously shopping for a VW Bettle to convert right now. I wish California wasn’t a continent away, because there are a lot of great projects out there.
This will be my first conversion, and I have limited experience with electricity, so am expecting to learn A LOT!
In shopping for a platform, what should I look for? Obviously rust is an enemy, anything else that I should be considering?
My goal with the conversion is to have a vehicle capable of about 120km/charge (70 miles), with a top speed of 100km/h (60mph), and a optimal speed of 40 - 60km/h.
So, I need a light platform (VW Beetle), components that can provide the power to reach 60mph (volts right? - 96?), and a battery pack that will provide longevity (amp hours right? - ‘gel’ type batteries?).
Is there a reasonable kit to buy?
Cloud Electric - http://www.cloudelectric.com/product_p/pk-d31b-k600.htm
Rebirth Auto - http://rebirthauto.com/assembledvolkswegenbettleconversionkit.aspx
Wilderness EV - http://e-volks.com/about2.html
I am looking at this project in 3 steps:
- Vehicle acquisition
- EV Conversion
- Battery selection
My new job requires me to drive 300 - 500 city km per week, so, about 100 per day. I drive a truck for cottage escapes, boat towing, off roading, etc., so want a responsible vehicle choice for the majority of my driving.
What would be a reasonable budget?
Any helpers?
Thanks!