Electric Karmann Ghia, business end
OwnerJim
LocationLas Cruces, New Mexico United States map
Vehicle1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
2 door coupe
MotorAdvanced DC FB1-4001-A Series Wound DC
9 Inch Series wound 120 VDC
Drivetrain4 speed manual, Clutchless
ControllerCurtis 1231C
Controller is mounted to a component board with heat sink and due to very hot summer temps in this area, 2 fans are mounted below controller for cooling. The component board is located under the rear deck lid of the vehicle.
Batteries9 Trojan T-1275, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, Flooded
Golf cart deep cycle, weighing 82 lbs. each
System Voltage108 Volts
ChargerQuick Charge specific built /on board
The charger is mounted below the components board and allows for easy access. It is automatic with gas and float stage
Heaternone
DC/DC Converter N/A
Using one 36 AH AGM battery to power accessories and 12 volt components.
Instrumentationspeedometer, voltmeter, ammeter,
Top Speed78 MPH (125 KPH)
using second gear, vehicle will accelerate very quickly from 0 to 40 M.P.H and from 40 MPH on it will continue to accelerate nicely, but requires a gear shift to third at 50 MPH to prevent overspeeding the motor. Third gear is used over 50 MPH up to 70 MPH, at 70 MPH it is shifted to fourth gear and car will continue to accelerate to a top speed to date of 78 MPH, this type of driving will shorten the range considerably.
Accelerationvery good when the batteries are freshly charged. In second gear from 0-30 MPH in about 3 seconds.
Range50 Miles (80 Kilometers)
To date my best range has been 52 miles on a full charge, but that was on a range test driving @ 50 mph in 2nd gear. My batteries are now over 3 years old and a 30 mile range is a more realistic estimate of what I've been averaging per charge, but with opportunity charging this car will go all day long and is ready to go when you are.
Seating Capacity2 adults
Curb Weight2,700 Pounds (1,227 Kilograms)
To ensure a balanced weight distribution, 2 of the 82 lbs. track batteries are mounted under the front hood lid where the fuel tank was mounted originally.
Tiresstock V.W. 15 inch metrics inflated to 44 PSI.
Conversion Time4 months, most of that time was spent restoring the car, one week building the battery racks, and two weeks to install the motor, run the cables and wiring the control board components.
Conversion Cost$ 11,900 including the vehicle restoration.
Additional FeaturesFour coil overload shock absorbers to boost the stock VW suspension, due to battery load. Two of the batteries are located under the hood where the gas tank was originally, and the remaining seven batteries are located where the back seat would have been. The battery compartment cover consists of a hinged piece of plywood and is covered with the back seat upholstery that came with the seat cover kit.
I use this vehicle daily with an average driving distance of 26 miles. During winter months, when temps are near freezing, performance and range is decreased by about 20%. All of the systems work great, I've had one failure, a loose battery terminal connection caused a terminal post to melt. A set of jumper cables would have gotten me going again at a lower voltage. High quality components and excellent planning and building support were provided by "Electric Vehicles of America, Inc.". Monthly maintenance includes a 10-15 minute check of connections and water levels in the batteries, and dusting off the control board and motor. I'm into the 7th year of running this car with battery maintenance only. Haven't had any problems with any of the components to date.





code by jerry