[Closed] Converting a ICE van to EV

Would you like to buy some magic beans?

I think it is discussed in this thread a few times.

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/365343/?offset=275

There was a program on one of the Quest-y channels called Vintage Voltage where they did just that, though primarily to old cars. Cost was usually in the £15 to £20k range and that was with a smallish number of batteries because that was all that would fit, about 100miles worth of range.

So yeah, definitely doable but probably not cost effective for most applications. Oh, no regenerative breaking either.

I live in London and currently plotting all new ULEZ cameras near me so I can er, bypass them. Keeping it to myself though!🤫

Minimum 25k

Unless your very handy

As the price for EVs falls, battery capacity increases I can certainly see a demand for some older/classic vehicles - I’d like one for my 1974 VW camper - it is as fast as a milk float anyway 🤣

Plenty of companies doing conversion on classics. Need deep pockets though.

These guys do some interesting conversions.

https://instagram.com/londonelectriccars?utm_medium=copy_link

vw camper with leaf motor:

View this post on Instagram

Mark 1 Audi TT is a car that is crying out for e conversion.

Opel have done a rather lovely EV restomod of a Mk1 Opel Manta, which I really love! I owned a Mk1 Manta back in the ‘70s, wish I still had it.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/first-drive-opel-manta-gse-elektromod-review

Last I looked for a 'kit' it was £16k plus vat for sports car using a Tesla motor so I'd expect similar for a van plus obvs the fitting.

Ford are selling a crate version of the engine in the Mustang Mach-E. You'd need to also buy batteries...

surely it’d better for the environment to convert an existing vehicle than buy a brand new one.

Sell the existing one to someone who will driver an ICE anyway and then buy a production EV. It will be cheaper and much less troublesome than trying to convert it aftermarket.

I always thought a good conversation would be two pancake motors on non drive wheels and batteries to give say 100mile range. Add a management system and you have conversations to hybrid would work well for lots of vans.

Apparently the E-transit custom website s comming, in 2023.

I suppose the more sensible suggestion would be to buy a practical sized EV (leaf/Zoe/etc) for visiting your mates in that there London, because who wants to drive a van round London just to see their buddies?

At the moment, quite a bit more than buying a brand new electric Dispatch/Expert/Vivaro, assuming you want reasonable range, rapid charging and things like the dashboard and aircon to work.

Maybe it'll happen in the future but at the moment there's not enough of a market for conversions to get any kind of scale so it's mostly one-offs for classics. Limited market for small scale supply of battery modules and not many cars being written off to reuse them so high prices.

Even the very basic kit for the Citroen 2CV is £17k and that's for a 10kWh battery for 65 mile range, 20kW motor, slow AC charging only.

I have a Nissan Leaf just waiting for a suitable donor to catch my eye. Not as a really practical long distance or only car but more as a bit of interest for a town car.

The regen on brakes is currently puzzling me as it is difficult to transfer but, to be honest, it doesn't actually add much when just going to and from the shops / train etc so probably best ignored.

Anyway, I need to find a suitable donor that is cheap and then wait until the wife is looking the other direction and whip out the angle grinder.

then wait until the wife is looking the other direction and whip out the angle grinder.

Lordy!

Anyway, I need to find a suitable donor that is cheap and then wait until the wife is looking the other direction

Figaro?

christ not a figaro.

man those things rot like a pear

We'd love to do this to our 245 but £nope, unfortunately.