1) Inexpensive.
An old VW Beetle Bug is generally inexpensive. You can find it everywhere. You can find one at a used car dealership, motor trading sites, government auction sites etc.
If you are lucky enough to find an old Beetle with a busted engine, better still. You can ask the seller for a lower price since you have to spend money to repair the engine. But he does not know you are planning to get rid of it!
2) Simplicity.
Generally, a [tag-tec]Bug design[/tag-tec] is very simple. No complicated electronic components or circuitry to mess with.
3) Rear wheel drive.
If you are looking for an electric donor car, preferably, find one that has a rear wheel drive. Most old VW Beetles are back wheel drive.
4) Ample storage space in front.
This is one of the reasons why I think a Bug is good for EV conversion. It has a large storage space available in front of the car.
If you were to take out the spare tire, you have enough space to store at least 10 units of deep cycle batteries.
5) Ample storage inside the car.
There’s more storage space behind the driver’s seat. Add in more batteries to extend your [tag-tec]electric car[/tag-tec] drive mileage.
6) Readymade electric car conversion kit.
Since a VW Beetle is such a common electric donor car, you can easily find the EV conversion kit for a Bug. This will save you a lot of time converting it to run on electricity.
The biggest advantage is the adapter plate. Since the metal adapter plate is already cut to fit a Beetle, all you have to do is line it up and bolt it on. Easy!
7) Light weight.
Generally, an old VW Bug weight less than 1800 lbs. This is good for an electric car. Less weight means less inertia therefore less power needed to propel the car. Less power required means longer battery life.
8) Easy to remove the engine.
Because of its great engineering, it is relatively easy to remove the internal combustion engine (ICE). All you have to do is open the engine cover, place a hoist over it, loosen a few bolts and it is out.
Some other cars might require a lot more time and effort. It is like pulling out a tooth!
9) Manual transmission.
If you are building an electric car via Do It Yourself (DIY) approach, you need to get a donor car that has a manual transmission. It is quite easy to find an old manual transmission VW Beetle. Saving you time and money.
10) Parts availability.
Since there are so many old Volkswagen Beetles around, sourcing for spare parts would not be a problem. Again, this boils down to cost.
There it is! 10 reasons why I think an old Volkswagen Beetle will be a great donor car for a DIY electric car conversion project.
If you have never converted a gasoline driven car to EV before, be sure to check out Les Oke’s Convert 2 EV e-book. The manual will show you the science behind an electric car conversion project. For more information, read the Convert 2 EV review on this web site.
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1) Golf Cart Battery Maintenance Guide To Extend The Life Of Electric Golf Cart Batteries
2) Samuel Watson Premium Electric Car Guide Review