Electric VW Beetle for sale

In this episode we take a tour around an electric VW Beetle that is for sale through our partners - Banzhou Electric. Any inquiries should be made via their email address:
[e-mail]
The Beetle features a Hyper 9 motor which gives 120hp and 173 ft lb of torque, along with a Tesla 30 kWh battery pack, which should give it around 100 miles of range.

[@zodiacfml]

what a dream, imagine driving this around the city. I have no use to become rich, but this channel keeps reminding me to get rich enough to afford EVs and EV conversions.

[@matthewmason8982]

Could you change the oil light to a green LED instead? 😅

[@dennisf1973]

First thing i thought! Green is all good with the power 😅

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Yep. That’s a great suggestion. 👍

[@garmar704]

I click so fast for new ECC videos!

[@Vintage_Volts]

There is something about seeing and experiencing the Hyper nine conversion with the gearbox in tact. The noise it makes is also lovely, the whole experience is just perfect, you get so many thumbs up all the time, i do love driving mine as much as as possible. Lovely episode Moggy and Tim 😊

[@spudproductions7606]

Thanks Tom 👍😀

[@neilgillies6943]

Exactly the same colour as my very first car in 1973, an H registered VW beetle deluxe - beautiful - and it doesn't even have rust holes in the top of the rear mudguards 😊😊

[@chrisbolton5461]

Absolute classic. Great conversion.

[@seanmettam-fox526]

I would find the red oil light warning permanently lit on the dash extremely distracting.

[@DuBstep115]

Cant be that hard to pull the cluster out and rip the light bulb off

[@packgrog]

Man, I would LOVE something like this for here in the States. You guys do amazing work, far superior to what I've seen from some other places doing conversions.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Thanks. 😎👍

[@markwellington1254]

I had a 1964 VW Bug as my first car. It was very fun and as a bigger guy I could get into tight parking spots by simply get the rear in the parking spot and pick up the front end to get it into the spot. Also the only car I owned that was up on two wheels one time! Loads of fun for a teenager.

[@djambrosia]

Nothing better than a quick classic beetle ;)

[@neilt]

That's a beautiful conversion. My dream conversion would be an MGB Roadster in red, just like my dad owned back in the 60s.

[@faejit]

oooh yeah. I want a green one

[@faejit]

or a MBG GT

[@neilt]

@@faejit No, it has to be a soft top.

[@nvdlboy]

Love it! Reminded me of my first car - '71 Super Beetle, which I would love to have again in EV form.

[@jorowi]

What a wonderful conversion.

[@busog97641]

We, my wife and myself I this car (every car that you do), excellent beauty she is.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Might want a similar setup in my old Volvo with a slightly bigger battery pack some day.

[@James_T_Quirk]

Nice to have Gears to change, like to use them to moderate speed, Lunatics on city roads can make it hard, but on a country road, its part of the Drive ..

[@glenhardy4770]

😆As usual, I love watching your videos! Because of your videos I see every car as an electric conversion candidate now!

[@spudproductions7606]

It’s the same with us. 👍😀

[@anthonyrawsthorne656]

And every Tesla I see, would make an ideal donor!!

[@glenhardy4770]

@@anthonyrawsthorne656 If I HAD the money NOW, I would be driving a Tesla Model 3 rear-wheel-drive in red just to finally experience one! Their test drives in California are always on weekends, and that is the start of my work week.

[@anthonyrawsthorne656]

@glenhardy4770 there's not actually any new cars that make me want to get into debt atm, they all seem to be going for the SUV,.high up style, which I hate. A mate keeps sending me a link, to go for a test drive, so they'll extend the free charging period, but pretty much like you, just not had the time.

[@georgedaville4662]

Brings back memories of my 1966 1300 Beetle, I loved that car. Unfortunately it had lived at the seaside all its life and the rust situation caught up with it! It did nearly 200k though and was still chugging. Beautiful conversion, simple and practical car. If VW started making the classic Beetle again as an electric, I reckon they would have a real hit ? Good content as always Richard 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍

[@andyf5992]

Thanks. Awesome! Thinking about everyday driving in grungy , cramped streets of London versus the gorgeous, open roads of Wales, how's the steering power and turning circle resolved for classic conversion cars? Whilst I'd want people to stop and stare a few mins at my lovely Beetle, don't want them staring for minutes at me as I strain my feebly biceps to do a 3 point turn!

[@user-wn3jz7ke3p]

I so need one of these in my life, but I had to pay for my daughters wedding recently .... So I'm off to rob a bank ! 😂... 🤟🏻😉...

[@RWBHere]

Thanks Richard. You and the team have done a really nice job with that one. 🙂👍 The later Beetles are the only VW cars which I might consider running, but only as an EV. My last journey in a petrol one was in a mid- 1960's 1200, and the enduring memories were: The throbbing engine which resonated with the cabin, especially for back seat passengers, slow acceleration, the inevitable Carbon Monoxide headache during long journeys on cold days, fogged windscreens, the feeble headlights, the uncomfortable seats and the bouncy suspension. If any car needs an EV conversion, then this is the one. Despite my long-standing and quite well-known dislike of Porsche-designed cars, I would actually like to travel in an electric Beetle, if offered the chance.

[@urbanstrencan]

This or the Fiat 500 is the conversion I want to do, ;) just love your work and the knowledge you bring to the EV conversion world ;)

[@cinchan04]

Another awesome classic beetle EV.. More conversions please 🙏.. Watching from the Philippines 🇵🇭

[@spudproductions7606]

👍👍

[@aronkvh]

I'm definitely buying one of these if I ever have enough money

[@darrellbrand1074]

Love this!!! One of my all-time favorite videos that you produced…. Keep doing what you’re doing! You Rock!

[@spudproductions7606]

Thanks 😀👍

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Thanks 👍

[@f.d.robben159]

As a manual, It's even better than the Tesla powered version. Some minor modifications, like original Beetle seats with headrests and the typical dual exhaust pipes. 😍

[@MrAdopado]

... need to take care with the clutch if it's the same spec as an original with a fraction of the torque. Most EVs lose that aspect of wear and maintenance.

[@mrmawson2438]

Bloody great work guys

[@cad4246]

Didn't expect to see Dyfi bike park in this video!

[@spudproductions7606]

It’s a cool place to ride. 👍😀🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿😬

[@72mardy]

So thats why you were building more Testarossas after the first one 😏

[@locknut5382]

Thank-you, Richard. They're better-looking than any other car designed by Ferdinand Porsche. Not much fun to travel in with the clattering and smelly petrol engine though. Ignoring the uncomfortable seats, you and the workshop have done a nice conversion job with that one. 🙂👍

[@nightdiebloom]

Love beetles, just was hoping if any safety features were added since that beetles don’t usually have

[@MikeSuding-]

I contacted the company selling it yesterday (4/7/24) and they replied the price is £ 55,000 (i.e. $69,500). I was considering it as a suggestion for my niece in London. As a comparison $18350 is the private party value on Kelly Blue Book for 2019 Beetle - no comparison of course)

[@dangreasley7934]

What a fab car and a quality job done there with the conversion. Well done !

[@spudproductions7606]

Thanks 👍😀

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Thanks 🙏

[@lionelkennedy1394]

Nice Beetle!

[@greghenderson6011]

Comet of the conversion? Very nice.

[@terryfleming7084]

Not the Oil light! I would have used the generator light. What ever. I like it.

[@mrmawson2438]

Cheers guys

[@gardenrailroadingjointhefu3379]

So very cool!

[@jeremyreynolds4490]

Ok, but as a previous owner I do prefer the Big Beetle 1303S with the curved windscreen.

[@deltajohnny]

Great car, as always! 😍😍😍

[@spudproductions7606]

Thanks 👍😀

[@dlemare]

I remember in one of your videos you beefed up the springs with an extra leaf to compensate for the weight of the batteries. Are you doing this automatically to all of your builds?

[@charlesjefferis8812]

Brilliant

[@studiotom]

The oil light is working properly - because there is no oil!! 🤣

[@USUG0]

I prefer the 600hp restomod beetle! ;-P

[@spudproductions7606]

Understandable 👍😀

[@zacm.2342]

I want it *_so bad_*, buuut I'm also fairly sure we can't afford it 😅

[@kens8903]

I wish you’d sell that kit to regular people

[@hughM9]

Too risky. With the high voltages you need some level of competence.

[@kens8903]

@@hughM9 you can do 95%+ of the installation without live voltage going though the system. The connecting power and testing conductivity(also students can test that with lower voltage) is where teachers/instructors come in.

[@hughM9]

@@kens8903that presumes they’re sensible folk like you & me. Unfortunately there are a few out there who think they could do it all. 😩

[@MedEighty]

Older vehicles are supposedly easier to steal. When you upgrade these, do you do anything about making them less easy to steal?

[@Corum001]

A Beetle with no Dak Dak Dak sound ? 😃👍

[@theadoresmith2777]

Beautiful little car ... vw beetles are a stylish little number. 100 miles on a charge [ about 160, 170 ks off the top of my knoggin ] is not a lot. With all the Tesla goodies in the car, why is it not getting more? What size battery would you have to get to say get 200 ks or about 120-130 miles?

[@orbitaljellyfish808]

A 71 swing axle?

[@Noukz37]

According to my calculations, 100 PS & 200 Nm per 1000 kg is perfectly fine for an everyday driver. 😁

[@tombrehony6277]

Looks good. How much ?

[@smeghead6123]

It looks fantastic, but I would have to go with the Tesla motor and lose the old oil filled gearbox and go full auto. The oil light being on would just anoy me. Beautiful restoration though, keep up the good work. 👍

[@kens8903]

It would be cool if you could partner with high school auto shop classes and sold some of these kits to them.

[@dennisf1973]

Ideal combo! Classic car and manual shifting. Maybe explain in an episode or answer: Is the much higher torque (Nm's here) not a problem or will you guys upgrade it while open with modern parts? Greetz from NL✌🏻

[@spudproductions7606]

It’s no problem. 👍😀

[@Hitstirrer]

If that was mine I would change the orange oil light to a green one. More appropriate.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

That’s a great idea. 👍

[@BURNOUTBMX]

beautifull

[@samurai-capybara]

Just decided that once I've made my fortune ('This time next year, Rodders'), I'll get a T-top/roll-caged Baja Bug, Split-screen Camper, and a wide-bodied Wizard Roadster; all 4WD and with insane performance (and electric, of course).

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Now that sounds cool. 😎👍

[@Nino500]

I was interested to note that the inverter (and I believe the Hyper 9 comes with a dedicated inverter) looks very similar to the Sevcon unit fitted to the Zero SR/F. I also noticed it states 100v on that motor whereas I'd always believed the Hyper 9 ran 150v. I guess there are different flavours available?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

It’s a SME inverter. The 100v is the nominal voltage. There is also a 144v higher voltage version available too. 👍

[@irvinmartin9259]

I like that you can still use the manual transmission. What’s the typical range, driving as you were in this video.

[@hughM9]

He said 100 miles

[@michaelbeiyt]

Richtig schön

[@stevenharpervw]

If you have all that torque and it doesn’t really matter what gear your in ( you can take off in second or accelerate up a hill in third )… is there then a high chance of blowing up the gearbox from choosing the wrong gear ratio ?

[@ElectricClassicCars]

If you put it in 1st and floored it the gearbox wouldn’t last long. 👍

[@user-bz5zj9jm1g]

Is there a way of incorporating the batteries into the floor pan? Seeing as it’s a bolted on body/chassis, as most of the luggage space is lost, and the seat sub frames are pretty high

[@spudproductions7606]

Batteries in the floor pan would lift the body higher up. 👍

[@user-bz5zj9jm1g]

Depends on the dimensions and type of battery and enclosure i guess, the heater channels are 4” deep, granted floor space/footheight would be reduced, but the original seats have 7” high subframes on them, suppose it might work in a custom build rather than a retrofit, I like the retention of the gearbox though, i understand that some motors have greater torque than engines, but sure for mass production and alternative drive solutions, a small motor would make sense with a gearbox, and vary the battery drain, there will be energy lost in the transmission, but must be negligible, the whole point of having a gearbox was to allow an underpowered engine to propel the vehicle

[@MrAdopado]

@@user-bz5zj9jm1g A gearbox doesn't give you more power ... it actually gives you a bit less ... put it can give you more torque at a given road speed. The advantage of a gearbox, of course, is that it can keep the motor within its optimum rev range. Internal combustion engines have a very narrow power band so need several gears to ensure that adequate torque is available at all speeds. Electric motors have maximum torque from zero revs so it's rarely necessary to use gear ranges.

[@daviddedman654]

How do you solve the heating system? The original beetle uses it's exhaust for the heating.

[@spudproductions7606]

An electric heater is installed. 👍😀

[@grahambeyer6254]

What are electric cars like to drive on slippery winter surfaces? Do you have to drive them differently?

[@ianrobertwhinnett158]

I live in the land of snow and ice Norway all cars have to be driven differently in snow than dry conditions

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Not really. Like any car with lots of low down torque you need to respect it in slippery conditions, but traction control that we put on some of our builds definitely helps with that. 👍

[@barryamorris]

What’s the maximum torque out of the Hyper 9 motor? Should be plenty for doing the Yorkshire dales. Some of those hills are vertical 😂

[@spudproductions7606]

Any steeper than Welsh hills? 😂

[@ElectricClassicCars]

173 lb ft of torque. 👍

[@Piner5074]

I had one that exact age and colour in the late 80s as my first car, till I rolled it into a ditch after skidding on black ice ❤💔 minus EV internals obviously

[@noah786]

Is it a buge or an bug?

[@videostars9194]

I wonder what the DVLA inspector will say about the batteries in the passenger compartment?

[@hughM9]

It’s far from the first one he’s seen 😉

[@spudproductions7606]

DVLA are happy as long as you follow their rules. Check out a recent episode where we explain what’s allowed. 👍😀

[@KimCJorgensen]

Richard, are you not on Twitter/X these days? Can't seem to find your account anymore.

[@ElectricClassicCars]

Yes we are. We are elecclassiccars on there. 👍

[@KimCJorgensen]

@@ElectricClassicCars Cool, followed.

[@jasonduram8823]

How'd you eliminate the oil in the gearbox?

[@hughM9]

You don’t. Lots of new EVs have a reduction gearbox. That has oil & bearings just like any other gearbox. The early Renault Zoe is known for bearing failures in the gearbox

[@jasonduram8823]

@@hughM9 Richard said 'no maintenance'. I was just double checking 😉

[@hughM9]

@@jasonduram8823he actually said no maintenance in the Hyper9 motor, comparing it to the old Beetle engine

[@jasonduram8823]

I know he was, it was implied 😉. As an owner of a few classic cars over the years (including my current '73 Super Beetle and a '72 SAAB 99), I'm very aware of all of the maintenance involved in owning and driving a classic car. I realize that, if you remove the internal combustion engine, it would eliminate a good percentage of the maintenance. I like E.C.C.'s products and processes, the videos are entertaining and fun. Because of this fun atmosphere that they bring to KZbin, I like to poke a little fun back. That's all. Thank you for pointing that out 😀

[@melanierhianna]

I bet I can't afford it but my first car was a 73 Orange 1200cc beetle.

[@melanierhianna]

I hope the gearbox was strengthened. The 1200 was something like 34BHP. That poor gearbox coping with 120BHP.

[@Nino500]

@@melanierhiannaThey were well known to be massively over engineered gearboxes. Often used in mid-engined V8 specials and the like.

[@alberttatlock5104]

The electric car has had its day!😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@adventtrooper]

2:10 That looks like a reservoir from a water cooled PC.

[@hughM9]

That’s for the battery or motor cooling.

[@brandonhebert5485]

The 1971 model did not have a 1200 cc engine. They did away with that in 1965.

[@Marc-tx7gd]

Are you sure? Our 1970 beetle had a 1200, bought new in Cardiff. Our 1973 beetle had the 1300 engine though.

[@bettyswallocks6411]

4-up in a Beetle? Not if they’re adults with legs.

[@mattsimon931]

extremely confused about gear changes on an electric motor and transmission

[@hughM9]

No. It’s just an alternative source of power. The difference is when you come to a halt. As the electric motor doesn’t idle like an engine there’s no need to dip the clutch, you just accelerate away again when you want. Moggie didn’t explain how reverse works though.

[@JoloshopDe]

Only slow charging 😢

[@mrmawson2438]

Oil light 😅

[@MrFoxRobert]

👋👍

[@bryandickerson5365]

So this points to the idea that maybe 120 electric horsepower is not the same as 120 gasoline horsepower. You say it’s “no sports car”, but I’m pretty sure a VW Bug with a 120hp flat-4 would certainly drive like a sports car. That’s almost as much hp as an original Porsche 911 in a lighter car! Or maybe you’ve just lost your perspective by driving too many Tesla powered monsters? ;^)

[@ElectricClassicCars]

I meant it’s no sports car in the handling stakes. 😉👍

[@bryandickerson5365]

@@ElectricClassicCars Aha - got it! But I think a bug can be made to handle pretty well. Folks must make handling upgrades especially with Tesla power, right?

[@anthonyrawsthorne656]

HP is a work equation anyway, it's torque that gives you acceleration. HP=Torque × RPM ÷ 5252 Guessing you can play about with the final drive ratio, to give the best for your personal preference.

[@florianwagner7279]

👍 well done - Thie 1200 cc beetle was the car of my childhood…😍 Nice detail to keep the gearbox in place and function, fits much better to the car than an overpowered Tesla-motor. Looking forward to you next projekt (How about a VW typ 3 ?)

[@JoloshopDe]

Gearbox doesn’t make sense with electric motors!

[@florianwagner7279]

@@JoloshopDe You are smarter than the engineers at Porsche or Mercedes, congratulations.👍 Those fools do build in gear-boxes in their ev‘s 😳. In the video was also mentioned why they haven‘t blocked the gear box. But may be you will know much better and explain to the what they did wrong.

[@JoloshopDe]

@@florianwagner7279 in fast Electric Cars, they need a 2 or 3 gearbox not in am small one like a Käfer. And why so aggressiv?

[@florianwagner7279]

@@JoloshopDe Agressiv? Wasn‘t it you, who wrote „ doesn‘t make sense with electric motors!“. (Using exclamation ! means shouting, who started?)

[@Tidofelder]

Too bad... he has the steering wheel on the wrong side. 🤷‍♂️

[@DericO-rz3be]

Odd why shill for another company

[@mrmawson2438]

Hello guys

[@midge225]

Put the original engine back on and you will sell it easy

[@AnnoyingRash]

Steer is on the right side, other than that...

[@tesla-spectre]

Nice just two things: only AC charging (and slow), and zero storage capacity.

[@Nino500]

I think, for this type of car it's all it needs. You could easily daily it and charge overnight or go 100 miles to a meet and let it charge while you mingle with the other owners, so it's ready to go at home time. 30KWh battery should charge in about 4.5 hrs on the 7KW charger.

[@tesla-spectre]

@@Nino500 well goven there is soace in the back i would have opted for 22kW AC charging. with that it is properly usable even for slightly longer trips. but hey just my opinion :)

[@Nino500]

@@tesla-spectreYes, I guess it would be a possible upgrade, if the owner wished but that would be the max as DC charging wouldn't be possible on the low voltage system used here.

[@davejones4804]

Exactly the same colour and model as my Beetle, but mine now has a 1600 engine!

[@neilt]

​@tesla-spectre How many domestic properties have the 3-phase supply for a 22kW charger?

[@davidgriffiths938]

Its less practical than the original so solves a problem that's don't exist.

[@HKFunster]

Nice car but if a company is unwilling to disclose the price upfront, it's a bit sus.

[@rtfazeberdee3519]

Tin foil hat comment. Call the company that's selling it, he said he doesn't know the price

[@spudproductions7606]

ECC are not the sellers of this car. You would need to make contact with them. 👍👍

[@hughM9]

Nothing sus about it. They did the conversion for a client, the client happens in this case to be selling the finished car. What the problem?

[@MikeSuding-]

I contacted the company selling it yesterday (4/7/24) and they replied the price is £ 55,000 (i.e. $69,500). I was considering it as a suggestion for my niece. As a comparison $18.350 is the private party value on Kelly Blue Book for 2019 Beetle - no comparison of course)

[@HKFunster]

@@MikeSuding- Thanks. How difficult would it have been for Banzhou Electric to let ECC know what the price was so it could be advertised to the 30k viewers of this video?

[@mrmawson2438]

I'm back

[@DericO-rz3be]

hyper9 swing axle... yuck

[@theflyingfool]

Ugh! Bad back from driving a Beetle. It's those offset pedals...

[@simtyful]

I want to see the opposite. I want to see someone turn a Tesla into a proper car with an actual engine.

[@awo1fman]

Type 2 charging will never be enough for me. I'm not interested in any car that I can't road trip at the drop of a hat. No DC, no deal. I've been living with a Zero SR for the last 7 years, and it's awesome in every way except for the lack of quick charging. The fact that I'm limited to a radius of less than half the capacity of the battery is a constant joy-killer. I have to make sure it's full before I ride, and when the SOC gets down to ~55% I have to turn around no matter what. That sucks more than I can possibly express. And not being able to explore anywhere I want to go makes it nothing but a fun toy. It can never be serious transportation. I strongly object to the idea that there is any defense of the "city car" concept. There is no ICE city car that is limited to city commuting. They are all capable of driving every bit as far as any other car, in the same time. They may be less comfortable, and you may have to stop for fuel (very) slightly more often, but they are NOT range-limited. The idea that it's acceptable for any BEV to be range-limited is absurd. If your day is over because you're out of juice, it completely cancels the reason for the vehicle's existence. It's possible to upgrade the Zero's AC charging to Type 2 that equals DC fast charging in a Car, and I am most of the way there, but it's not possible to charge a car quickly enough on AC (max of 22 kW) to make road tripping feasible. And no, even as a 2nd or 3rd or 7th car, AC charging still isn't adequate. Because it still absolutely dictates what you can do and where you can go. It's far too limiting and a constant massive frustration. And the more fun the vehicle is, the more frustrating it is to not be able to go where and when you want with it.

[@mrmawson2438]

The Hitler car lol

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Morris Minor is the English equivalent ..front engine rwd and a wood framed Al. bodied estate version for the practical Man or Woman about the town or country..😎🧙🏼‍♂️😉🇬🇧 The quintessential post war British people's car up untill the original mini.

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

Have you ever thought about making cheap electric conversion kits instead of making sure poop people don't have a hope in hell of converting? Or is it that you just don't care about poor people? (My money's on the second option).

[@Nino500]

It's horses for courses. Poor people can't afford classics which have been restored to that standard anyway (unless you can do it yourself), which brings me to my main point: If you can do things yourself a Hyper 9 conversion can be affordable. The motor with inverter is around £5k, then you can use s/h batteries and other components to complete the conversion for under £10k. You can go way cheaper than that, if you use S/h motor/inverter as well (eg. Leaf).

[@lasersbee]

Sales Click Bait with NO Price....👎👎👎

[@Caledfryn]

Always the same. Tedious.

[@rtfazeberdee3519]

He said he didn't know it

[@spudproductions7606]

We didn’t state the price as we have no idea what the owners will be selling it for. They would be able to advise on that one. 👍👍

[@KentBuchla]

Freakin’ whiners!

[@fire_stick]

he is not selling it, just providing the conversion to the trade seller.