1966 VW Beetle Gets Zelectrified

The VW Beetle, or Type 1- also affectionately known as “the Bug”- has become an iconic automobile the world over for its dogged reliability and remarkable simplicity. It is of course a natural candidate for an electric vehicle conversion, which is exactly David Bernardo of Zelectric Motors finally did, announcing the second completed Zelectric bug at the end of October according to Hybrid Cars.

At a cost of about $45,000, Bernardo took a classic ‘66 VW Beetle and turned it into a Nissan LEAF-rivalling electric car. A 22 kWh lithium LiFePO4 battery pack provides real-world highway driving range of about 80 miles, and a top speed of around 80 MPH through a HPEVS AC-50 motor. While the 110 lb-ft of torque isn’t going to win many drag races, Bruce Meyers, inventor of the famed Meyers Manx Bug-based dune buggies, seemed impressed enough with the performance of this zero-emissions Beetle.

Weighing half a ton less than the Nissan LEAF but with an estimated battery life of between 12 and 15 years, the $45,000 Zelectric Bug actually seems like quite the bargain when you get right down to it. Plus the battery can be easily upgraded in the future for more range or power, the two things electric drivers often want more of.

David Bernardo loves him some Volkswagens, and his passion is helping drive this hobby forward in ways never though possible…though I would like to see him take on a project that’s a bit…sportier. How about an electric Karmann Ghia next?

Source: Cleantechnica

Student-Built Karmann Ghia EV Driving From Kansas To D.C. On Tweets

Can the power of social media literally propel a car halfway across the country? That’s the hope of a group of high school students who converted a Karmann Ghia into an EV, with plans to drive it from Kansas City to Washington D.C., but with a twist. The car will only go when it gets mentioned on social media. So you know what we have to do.

Mindddrive is the organization that helped put this project together, taking troubled teens off the streets and giving them a project they can be proud of.Using a 1967 Karmann Ghia is a great way to get the attention of old folks, while utilizing an all-electric drivetrain will please the younger, greener crowd.

It’s the third such conversion of the group, which tackled an Indy race car and a Lotus Espirt EV conversions before. I love this combination of old school meets new school, with an emphasis on engaging the younger crowd. The social media twist makes it even cooler.

The car will only move when it reads either the hashtag #MINDDRIVE or gets a mention on Twitter with the @minddriveorg, or using Facebook shares and likes. With major sponsors reaching millions of people via social media, the team should have no trouble making it from Kansas City to Washington D.C. in good time.

I’ll be sure to kick in a few tweets and likes to help them on their way, and so should you. Their journey kicks off next week, so make sure to follow and like them on Facebook now.

Source: Minddrive | Wired