Power plantThrottleMore bodywork completeMain Battery Pack
OwnerO.L.Hughes
Owner's Other EV1962 Sears Craftsman Lawntractor
LocationRichmond, Virginia United States map
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Vehicle1960 Volkswagen Beetle
On the road for daily trips to work but still a 'restoration in progress'...
MotorD&D Motor Systems, Inc. 31B Series Wound DC
A little long, had to cut rear body to get it to fit.
DrivetrainOriginal 4 speed with clutch
ControllerKelly KDH09501A
Has worked well. Mounted accelerator in front behind pedal (did not want to use original cable) with data cable to the rear.
Batteries16 Sam's Club GC-2, 6.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded
removed 12v Costco deep cycle, they couldn't stand the load. Runs good at 96V
System Voltage96 Volts
ChargerKelly HWC4B-9612A
Charges at 12 Amps, much better than old 4 amp charger.
HeaterOriginally had very little heat, now has none. Hope to hook up some for winter driving.
DC/DC Converter 12v Battery
Using separate 12v Costco Deep Cycle battery and can run 1 hour at night with headlights and wipers on. Need to find / design L.E.D. headlamps.
Instrumentationdigital volt / amp where radio used to be
Top Speed65 MPH (104 KPH)
So far 65 mph. More than enough for around town and short interstate runs.
AccelerationSimilar to original engine. Have turned down throttle response so it won't spin tires while trying to backup. I start in 2nd and shift to 3rd for speeds up to 45 mph.
Range35 Miles (56 Kilometers)
So far 35 miles. This new battery pack is made up of Golf Cart batteries and the range has been quite good.
EV Miles
Start:213,553 Miles (343,606 Kilometers)
Current:216,565 Miles (348,453 Kilometers)
Total:3,012 Miles (4,846 Kilometers)
Seating CapacitySeats 2 adults. Rear seat area has been taken by batteries. Sunroof opens for hauling stuff like long pipes and boards.
Curb Weight0
Unknown, trying to make it as light as possible. Removed all insulation and unnecessary stuff. Batteries will be over 1,100 pounds. Probably about 2500 pounds.
Tires2 Michelin XZX 165 R 15 front and 2 Federal 165 R 15 on rear.
Conversion TimeEV conversion took very little time. Have worked on the car itself off and on for many years replacing rust and holes with metal.
Conversion CostA Priceless experience!
Additional FeaturesOriginal semaphores are 6v but are surviving working at 12v, I just don't leave them on for extended times.
Car had been sitting for 25 years so it has been a challenge to get all the normal systems up to par.

code by jerry