EV Converting a VW T5 Transporter Van that’s actually good?

The VW electric vans are crap so we have decided to build our own T5 electric van using a Tesla so it’s bloody fast and has a proper range!
This is going to be one crazy body swap with a planned 0-60 of about 3 seconds!
Thanks to ‪@evbreakers‬ for sponsoring the Tesla for this epic new build! If you need parts to fix your ev they got you covered.
Www.chargeqube.com

[@Jamessansome]

What you'll find is that as the bonnet is longer on the Tesla when you open the VW front door you'll be greated with the side of the dash and a narrow space to get back and into the Tesla front seat. BoostedBoiz did this swap with a Model 3 and Honda Odyssey and ended up taking the M3 out and finding a Model X instead, which worked far better. Looking forward to how you overcome all the issues! Good luck!

[@Gamen4Bros]

Oooh I love this idea! Also: scary how fast u can break into the old frunk

[@Hazell_Nutz]

It is very worrying

[@neilcooper4738]

I really hope we get to see this conversion

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Don’t worry you will, we have a new workshop and ramps are going in mid February

[@Gr06ham]

I love that @evbreakers are saving the green white and orange van

[@OutRun_YT]

Can't wait until the next episode!!!!

[@fredmols8428]

Great idea. Will follow this.

[@MikesTropicalTech]

Looks like an epic project and you've got the expertise and parts to make it happen.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Have wanted to do it for a long time but finally decided to get on with it

[@danrooke7372]

I have both of these vehicles and have always wanted to merge them. Free fuel in the camper would be amazing!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Exactly perfect mix I think

[@evbreakers]

Very excited to see this one unfold!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Thank you, it’s all your fault 😂

[@jeromeandre4915]

@@Hazell_Nutz Ahahha 😁😎💪⚡️⚡️⚡️👏

[@Jamessansome]

Make sure you check the bonnet length of the Tesla vs the VW as you'll be climbing in through a narrow space to access the Tesla front seats as VW bonnet length is so much shorter.

[@housevideos2024]

Cool build idea. Thanks for the motion sickness during the T5 intro 😂

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Sound like you got though it 😂

[@ricolaracing]

Nice, I've just started a similar swap but shortening a model 3 to fit under a gullwing body keeping all the Tesla systems. Just in the process of shortening the battery pack!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Sweet there is quite a lot of room in the short range packs

[@ricolaracing]

@ yeah, if you really push it and modify the front busbar connections I think you could probably shorten it by up to 600mm, I need 475 so relatively comfortable. I’m also having to move the penthouse for the seat and having similar thoughts about IVA! I’m putting up some very amateur videos on KZbin ;)

[@EngineersFear]

Great episode! Just been to Vintage Volts, home the "Tezon". It's a Volvo Amazon body that has been stretched to fit on a Model S skateboard. Took him only 6 years to complete but it means it's really a Tesla with a different skin. Maybe you can beat his conversion time by a few months as no stretching seems needed 😉

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Need to gain 4cm so not much. Hopefully can get it done over a few months.

[@testpilot6954]

Please make this your main project a bit every other week will get you loads of subs and bells! I have a tesla S and a poorly T6

[@Hazell_Nutz]

That is now the plan, I have another 2 arrival videos and probably 3 more on the track cars but this will be the main focus going to be about 20 episodes as we want to go into detail

[@agritracaccount3627]

Would love to see the pop out electric door handles on a transporter door.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

@ have been looking at that, not sure there is clearance window mechanism but we will see

[@agritracaccount3627]

@@Hazell_Nutz are range rover ones thinner?

[@lysandermb]

Looking forward to this. I have a 1985 Ford Country Squire that has a wheelbase and track almost exactly the same as a Model S....

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Perfect, the big thing will be to see what the DVLA make of it 😂

[@zoolholl4128]

Love it! What can possibly go wrong... Nothing! Man with SUPER Van!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

😂

[@nycstunnerinc8556]

You guys still haven’t finished any project you start

[@patreekotime4578]

Mr Bean's green Mini!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Mr bean mini is done, Porsche is at the paint shop and the arrival van is ongoing. Plus the mini and TT have just come back from alisport

[@jeromeandre4915]

The Mr bean Mini has been done the used but @samhard for a Hardup Garage episode. The Arrival van is a super long project. This should be way easier!

[@unrepentantgeek]

I'm excited for this project. There aren't enough ridiculous EV vans.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

That’s so true

[@alanbutler487]

I have a 2005 T5 with knackered auto gearbox which we bought new adapted for my disability, we've owned it from new and I've been thinking about doing this but sadly cant afford it :( maybe one day before it turns to dust

[@maxtorque2277]

IVA for sure on this one! It's a right 'bitsa with a welded monocoque so you'll need a full engineers report to get it registered in the UK

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Yep definitely? But it has to be done need to make body swaps a thing

[@metalhead2550]

Oooh another fantastic project! Looking forward to it :)

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Thanks

[@jornramel5094]

Very exciting to see how you’re gonna do this I have been thinking about this project myself cheers from Yern down under

[@Hazell_Nutz]

I think doing a model 3 battery and single front motor would be easier but going all out with dual motor is more fun

[@urbanstrencan]

The ultimate VW transporter sleeper 🤟🤟

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Hell yea

[@JonathanPorterfield]

Brilliant 👏

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Thank you

[@NZherewecome]

Hi! New subscriber thanks to this interesting build. Let's go!

[@rjung_ch]

This is going to be a lot of fun, chomp chomp. 👍💪✌

[@Hazell_Nutz]

And a lot of work

[@rjung_ch]

@@Hazell_Nutz yes!

[@sydneyg007]

Very cool. Why the Model S over the Model 3 as a donor? Battery would probably fit with less mods then. The VW transporter is a great choice for a Full Tesla Integration, my friend has done one (with a model 3). Much easier vehicle to integrate than my Landrover was!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Thought about model 3 but have a plan for another build using one of them. Plus it’s a p85d

[@sydneyg007]

@Hazell_Nutz Cool. Power requirements will definitely be above par!

[@itchywitchy]

This will be awesome and free supercharging!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Hopefully Tesla will not stop my free charging

[@willscheidegger4115]

Very cool project! I took a BMW i3 apart and have the high hopes to eventually put everything into a VW T3. 😇

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Great minds think alike

[@chargeheadsuk]

Good to see the Charge Cube 😉⚡️🔋

[@jeromeandre4915]

What the Charge cube? #ChargeQube 😊

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Www.chargeqube.com

[@chargeheadsuk]

@Hazell_Nutz liking the name, I'm guarenteed not to spell that right next time 🙃

[@rp9674]

Thanks for the tutorial on how to break into an old Tesla

[@Hazell_Nutz]

😂 sorry but people need to know not to leave anything in there of value

[@rattymcclelland]

Break into a Tesla S in 5 seconds. Ford Transit custom owners ...."hold my beer"

[@Hazell_Nutz]

😂

[@vdubster]

I so want this to work, I’d love to do the same to my poor old T5

[@plusoem]

Where's the scan from

[@Ranohtag]

nice

[@ajwright5512]

Oh fucking hell Chris, I literally have an old T5 kicking around for just this.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Hell yea

[@jonwill-dz8zb]

I’m looking forward to this one! The lifetime charging for free model Tesla is a genius move. Have you checked the terms and conditions on that one? Could be something in the small print regarding it having a vw t6 cloaking device. 😂

[@Hazell_Nutz]

😂 I am hoping can Iva under the Tesla reg number which looking at the regs can’t see why not.

[@lilypower]

awesome!!! any idea of a timeline? this is going to be really cool!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Plan is to get head down and get it done over next few months, as we are not having to develop any of the ev stuff is mostly fabrication work.

[@Chazillor]

I'd be impressed if Tesla don't cancel your supercharging when/if the see this.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Yep have been thinking we should move over to a vpn so they can’t

[@ohmygoth5899]

Don't be surprised when you loose the free supercharging

[@Hazell_Nutz]

I might put the car on its own vpn now so they can’t block it.

[@pipstein612]

Would it be easier to merge Tesla parts with an E-transporter and potentially avoid some of the subsequent DVLA reclassification issues?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Yes that could be a good option as the e-transport is quite cheap. But would still need some sort of inspection

[@bengladston5175]

Do you think you could convert a Caterham using a Tesla Model 3? Would love to see that!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

The issue is the battery pack. We have been designing a caterham kit for some time now.

[@bengladston5175]

@ you wouldn’t need a massive range on it so could use a smaller battery pack, think you are up for challenge

[@rushja]

Great idea. Is this a camper or just a van? If it's a camper can it use the drive battery to power the cooker etc?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

It’s currently a camper, yep we can fit a dcdc unit that converts hv battery to ac power

[@dxg999]

Why don't you just move the rear arches on the van?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

I have been thinking about that. There is quite a bit of rust there anyway

[@DavesDiscoveriesChannel]

Subscribed 👍

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Thank you

[@elitecpudoc329]

as soon as tesla sees this your free supercharging for life is gone!!

[@Hazell_Nutz]

We will see….

[@paulreynolds1510]

Would it work if you cut the floor pans out and swap the floor pans over any easier?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Have been thinking about that. Only issue is the Tesla in aluminium so would need to find some way of bonding them together

[@testpilot6954]

Chemical bonding BMW use it to bond steel to aluminium

[@Hazell_Nutz]

@ I have been looking into this 👍

[@alanbutler487]

Hey guys I've just read you're in Bristol, I'm in North Devon and have an old T5, long story. This is a long shot but I'd love to get involved in this build even if its just sweeping the floor. Please if that's possible could you message me. I've got mechanical experience. thanks

[@EverydayLife621]

I thought Tesla blocked supercharging (even at non-tesla chargers), as soon as a written off categorised is registered - ref cars for Paul

[@Hazell_Nutz]

They used to but not herd of it happening for a wile

[@LarsPantsonFars]

The Van of Teslesus, if you remove everything that makes the van run like a van, is it still a van?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Not sure what is the definition of a van?

[@jeromeandre4915]

"potentially" ;-)

[@Nino500]

My only question is: How are you going to get this past the DVLA?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

As the van is after 2002 they will not update the log book to electric so might not actually do anything if I tell them. But have been thinking sending for IVA as it’s technically going to be a Tesla with a new body so a kit car.

[@Nino500]

@@Hazell_Nutz Will be interesting to see what happens. Sometimes you have to take a risk and I guess all the parts will go in another conversion if DVLA won't have it.

[@Menon9767]

Maybe don't show this to tesla or at least hide the Vehicle IDs. They might remove the free supercharging as they seize every opportunity to do so

[@FirstDan2000]

Tesla and also car thieves are 2 groups you don't want to show this to.

[@Hazell_Nutz]

Yep good idea

[@ianlighting100]

How many points does this get on the dvla conversion testometer?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

I am not sure if we keep the Tesla reg is it then just a chassis mod which is 5 point out of 8? Am thinking IVA

[@PorthLlwyd]

Pretty sure the Tesla is still a monocoque/unibody design and any chassis modification means it's a radically altered vehicle, which means it needs the relevant type approval.

[@samesson78]

​@@Hazell_Nutz that would interesting to follow. With the battery testing etc.

[@Gamen4Bros]

32kw is brutally slow 85kwh packs are limited, even my newer one from 2020 (2013 model s) But yours is crazy slow lol

[@Hazell_Nutz]

It’s does 100kw below 20% then slowly ramps down but is on 150,000

[@TwoTooStupidGuys]

SOC was around 60% and probably not preheated - So 32kW sounds about right

[@AndyBKay]

9:05 yes, man maths. Because taking a Tesla battery pack and motor and fitting it into a T5 will yield exactly the same weight 😂

[@domhnallmorris]

Did you ever finish the Twizy?

[@Hazell_Nutz]

No the customer changed their mind, it was really moving along and then Covid started to settle down and he needed to free up funds.

[@domhnallmorris]

@@Hazell_Nutz annoying as I was driving mine today. Raw power!

[@JohnBBuck]

Another Rustomod?

[@peterszczesiak6025]

I would repair the model S it's a proper car the T5nis a heap of junk

[@Hazell_Nutz]

It’s an old model s is not what I would choose as a nice car better of with a newer model 3 way more advanced

[@peterszczesiak6025]

@@Hazell_Nutz the model S looks right, has a chance of free supercharging for life big boot and sublime ride

[@BuffaloBillsSon]

All you guys do is chat about what you what to do and never actually do anything! Nice camera shots, lots of talk and cut scenes and………..nothing.

[@TheNaish1111]

I skipped through after this… load of waffle

[@Hazell_Nutz]

So you have not watched the mini build? Or mx5 build? Or any of the arrival videos!