There are a few reasons why a Volkswagen VW Beetle is a great donor car for electric retrofitting. Firstly, a Beetle is light weight. The car has a curb weight of only 2100 lbs. This is good because with a lighter car, you can use fewer batteries. One of the major challenges for any electric car conversion is weight. A lighter car means less strain on the electric motor hence a better mileage per charge.
The VW Beetle is also simple without complicated electronic circuitries. This means the component can be easily modified without much complication. This in effect will speed up the conversion process without the retrofitter have to read and understand the complicated components. Complex electric parts will also strain the power system thus reducing the EV mileage.
Due to the popularity and availability of old VW Beetles, many people are using it to start their DIY electric car conversion project. When there is an uncertainty in the prices of gasoline in the near future, having your own electric car would shield you from any unexpected expenses.
