64 vw bus

[bagpipe goatee]

<p>I have this '64 vw bus that i've been meaning to convert to electric for some time, just mainly waiting for costs to come down and range to go up. &nbsp; My conditions? &nbsp; it has to be able to make it from madison, wi, to Iowa city, Iowa in one trip. (a couple hundred miles). &nbsp; this vehicle was purchased by my father in '65 and was given to me when he died.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>i'll update with pictures tomorrow, i just mainly posted this up to remind myself.&nbsp;</p>

[SVOboy]

That seems feasible depending on how many batteries you can shove the heck in there. I was going to do some posts about kits right now actually, so what I'll do is do that anyway and then link them here. What kinda cost range are you looking at?

[bagpipe goatee]

<p>
that's part of my reasoning for choosing the bus, the gas tank sits on a flat shelf, theres shelves on either side of the engine compartment, and tons of room under where we made a custom bed. &nbsp; also, you don't need to make motor mounts, as the motor just hangs off the transmission. &nbsp; the bellhousing isn't even complicated, just 4 bolts spaced pretty evenly and a lip. &nbsp; i'll get pics soon.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>cost range? &nbsp; well, i wanna get a good, efficient motor and controller, then get as many batterys as i want, as they're easier to add than changing the motor. &nbsp; not sure how much i can afford.&nbsp;</p>

[SVOboy]

Sounds like it would be a good set up, mehbe we can get you some money buy having you sell those bunches of stuff to me. Haha.

[Matt Timion]

It's actually funny you mention this.&nbsp; I was thinking of converting an old vw bug to electric today.&nbsp; You'd have no trunk space, but how would that be any different than a regular bug?&nbsp; Post up the links to the kits.&nbsp; I'd love to start brainstorming about this.

[bagpipe goatee]

<p>well, the conversion would be the same, except that there would be no place to put the batteries. &nbsp; you could put some up front, but not enough to get good range. &nbsp; my bus would HAVE to have a 200 some mile range, so that we could visit family. &nbsp; hell, the roof's flat, maybe we could even set up some sort of solar panel, too. &nbsp; that would come later and be complicated, though, to get it to charge something wired at 100 some volts. &nbsp; I have still yet to get pictures. &nbsp;&nbsp; I figure at max, i can fit about 30 optima yellow tops. &nbsp; ten batteries wired in series in each group, and all three groups wired in parallel. &nbsp; it would be expensive, but it would barely fit and should give me the range i need. &nbsp; i wonder what tax writeoffs i could get.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 120-132 volts should be more than enough to move all those batteries.&nbsp;&nbsp; the bus is perfect because it's light but has a tremendous hauling capacity rating.&nbsp;&nbsp; too bad it's as aerodynamic as a loaf of bread.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>

[Matt Timion]

<p>Most write up I've seen say that the batteries add a SUBSTANTIAL amount of weight.&nbsp; I've read of when they have added around 1000 pounds or so.&nbsp; Most cars converted to EV have had to switch to more heavy duty shocks and struts in order to compensate for the extra weight.</p><p>&nbsp;Now I do like the solar panel idea.&nbsp; Very keep.<br />&nbsp;</p>

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

<p>Most write up I've seen say that the batteries add a SUBSTANTIAL amount of weight.&nbsp; I've read of when they have added around 1000 pounds or so.&nbsp; Most cars converted to EV have had to switch to more heavy duty shocks and struts in order to compensate for the extra weight.</p><p>&nbsp;Now I do like the solar panel idea.&nbsp; Very keep.<br />&nbsp;</p><p>

</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Damn straight they add a lot of weight, those things are heavy. I think the range is possible, unless the bus weighs drastically more than 3k. In any case, have you thought about doing NmH batteries or NiCads? I've heard some stuff about them as opposed the the lead-acids that some use, but I dunno, seems like a murky thing and expensive too.&nbsp;</p>

[SVOboy]

^^ I meant lit-ion instead of nicad, oops.

[bagpipe goatee]

well, the bus doesn't weigh much at all, but they can carry a couple thousand pounds easy, because of their setup, according to thesamba.com , the best forum on busses. i'll probably buy as many as i can afford.

here is the main pic of the engine compartment. no motor mounts need to be fabricated, and you can buy the bellhousing adapter online. notice where a battery rack would fit perfect...
(thumbnails)



here's one of the sides, the other side is the same. i'd have the aux. battery here, and all of the control units on the other side.



and, finally, under the bed. this is the best place for weight to go, because it's closer to the center of the car, and there's so much room here. (sorry for the parts in the pic, was too lazy to clean it out.)



The plan is to put as many batteries in series as will fit where the tank is, then put 2 parallels of the same abount inside the passenger compartment under the bed. i have to research how solar panels will generate enough potential to charge 100 volts, give or take.

[Matt Timion]

the busses have great potential. I wish they were more aerodymanic, but what can you do? I think a EV Bus would seriously be the coolest vehicle in town. Maybe I'll start building one now for my future children to drive to school.

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

the busses have great potential. I wish they were more aerodymanic, but what can you do? I think a EV Bus would seriously be the coolest vehicle in town. Maybe I'll start building one now for my future children to drive to school.

Haha, if they will be good by safety in the coming years, not that the US moves on safety issues too quickly.


Anyway, the bus is awesome, go for it, it looks like a good deal to me.