Zelectricmotors - Home to the 110 miles range all electric Gen 1 & 2 Beetle
That is right. These guys are converting/building electric cars from old Beetles.
I sudenly want to find an old 911 and do this to it.
What say you GRM - Good idea or THHF(tree hugging hippie fantasy)?
Good idea! Well, the savage torque of an EV might make a 911 even more of a handful, but it would be good in a Beetle.
Good idea. I don't like the uncertainty that goes into selecting some of these components. I'd love to attempt a run-around-town EV conversion someday.
tuna55 wrote: Good idea. I don't like the uncertainty that goes into selecting some of these components. I'd love to attempt a run-around-town EV conversion someday.
Yeah, but that is my idea, just get the parts list or approach them as a drop ship kit and put it in an older air cooled 911 chassis.
Or if you really want the authentic dirty hippie experience VW Bus 
A Microbus would be even better for tree hugging hippie cred.
The site had me very interested until I saw the price and that there wasn't a kit version for installing in an already sourced Beetle.
What would it cost to build and maintain? (can't view the link at work, stupid internet filter)
Including the original vehicle purchase (in running condition, before I roasted the engine), I've got no more than $3k invested in my Subaru-powered Beetle. It gets about 26mpg on 87 octane with a range of right at 250 miles. Makes plenty of torque, and will maintain 80mph on the highway without complaint.
Interesting idea though.
Seems like a sound concept for an EV conversion. Beetles are simple and light & parts are readily available. If thier business catches on they should make a DIY kit.
In reply to MadScientistMatt:
Yeah, the batteries are killing the cost.
I wish Rice University would get their trash battery finished
Waste Silicon? Recycling Silicon?
Really?
From Silicon Wiki:
Silicon is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass, but very rarely occurs as the pure free element in nature. It is most widely distributed in dusts, sands, planetoids, and planets as various forms of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making silicon the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 28% by mass) after oxygen.
Not exactly rare stuff.
Not exactly toxic either.
In fact, takes a bit of effort to get it to react meaningfully with anything
Of course, semi grade silicon has been specially processed to be pure.
But then they 'dope' it with various elements to make microscopic P-type and N-type regions.
Kind of hard to seperate those back out .....
The bus would have lots of room for batteries, could make for some decent range.
electroautomotive has sold conversion kits for rabbits and 914s for quite a while
http://www.electroauto.com/kitchoice.shtml
http://www.electroauto.com/catalog/dccustkits.shtml#voltsporsche
erohslc wrote: Waste Silicon? Recycling Silicon? Really? From Silicon Wiki: Silicon is the eighth most common element in the universe by mass, but very rarely occurs as the pure free element in nature. It is most widely distributed in dusts, sands, planetoids, and planets as various forms of silicon dioxide (silica) or silicates. Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making silicon the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 28% by mass) after oxygen. Not exactly rare stuff. Not exactly toxic either. In fact, takes a bit of effort to get it to react meaningfully with anything Of course, semi grade silicon has been specially processed to be pure. But then they 'dope' it with various elements to make microscopic P-type and N-type regions. Kind of hard to seperate those back out .....
One of the Discovery shows had a guy make a watch battery while the cameras were rolling. Waste plus catalyst (a cobalt blend he said) and heat. Snapped the cover on it and viola watch battery.
CelineD wrote: With the increased costs of gasoline, it is a wonder people don't have more electric and hybrid automobiles. I know I was pretty excited when I got my hybrid. The only problem I discovered pretty quickly was that it increased my electric bill substantially to plug in the car at night. With a pay day loan, you can pay your electric bill to charge your hybrid. Learn more at: Payday Loan
I gotta say, that is a brilliant canoe.
How about meeting in the middle of Beetle/911?
A 914 EV
Electric motor- the only way to make a Beetles heater even more useless.
Cool. I actually saw an electric 912 in the parking lot at work a while back.
There's a guy on XWeb (and in Tucson) with an electric X1/9.
Beetles are the easiest EV conversion there is, and probably one of the few options where its easy to end up with something that performs better than the original ICE.
The 914 EV option is pure awesome. I'd love to do one but the buy-in is higher unless you're getting a crap heap.
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