Find or Sell Used Cars, Trucks, and SUVs in USA

Electric 1978 Super Beetle Convertible on 2040-cars

Year:1978 Mileage:37750
Location:

Boulder, Colorado, United States

Boulder, Colorado, United States
Advertising:
Body Type:Convertible
Vehicle Title:Clear
Fuel Type:Electric
Engine:Electric
For Sale By:Private Seller
Year: 1978
Mileage: 37,750
Make: Volkswagen
Model: Beetle - Classic
Trim: Convertible
Drive Type: Electric
Condition: UsedA vehicle is considered used if it has been registered and issued a title. Used vehicles have had at least one previous owner. The condition of the exterior, interior and engine can vary depending on the vehicle's history. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections.Seller Notes:"Excellent condition"

1978 VW Beetle Convertible converted to electric power!


This car is in excellent condition. It was a California car when I bought it with no rust or body damage, and since then I've had it painted and put in a new interior, all in two-tone black and tan.  It has a new top, new tires, rebuilt front suspension, upgraded rear suspension, and 10 new batteries. It is a very cool-looking, sharp car that gets compliments from everyone--college guys to housewives, everyone loves this car.


I bought the electric kit from e-volks.com. It is a 120 volt system, and I just put in ten brand-new deep cycle marine batteries--I have receipts and have only driven it about 10 miles since. There are eleven, 12-volt batteries total. One of them works all the electrics--(headlights, etc.), and the others power the motor. 8 are where the back seat used to be and 3 are in the front trunk. I've had the suspension upgraded to handle the weight, and the car drives and handles well. The main batteries are deep cycle marine type lead acid. It has two on-board chargers--one programmable for the main battery pack, and a smaller charger for the accessory battery. Plug the car in and all batteries are charged at the same time. I plug it in at night and in the morning it's ready to go with a full charge.



Range is about 20 miles or so until you're down to a 50% charge. Top speed is about 60 mph, but the car is happiest in the 40-50 mph range. This car really works well as an urban runabout--I feel like it has better power and pickup than it did when it was gas, at least up to about 40 mph or so. I've had a lot of fun driving it since I built it a few years ago--until recently it was my daily-driver. It's given me 5000 trouble-free miles, but keep in mind that I built it in my garage from a kit and therefore don't guarantee or warranty anything. I'd like it to be sold to an electric-car enthusiast who understands what this car is about and how to care for it.


I've put about $15k into it, but am willing to sell it for much less. I'm only selling it because I bought a new Chevy Volt. Ask me anything and I'll do my best to answer!




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Auto blog

The mood at this year’s Paris Motor Show: Quiet

Tue, Oct 2 2018

The Paris Motor Show, held every other year in the early fall, typically kicks off the annual cavalcade of automotive conclaves, one that traverses the globe between autumn and spring, introducing projective, conceptual and production-ready vehicle models to the international automotive press, automotive aficionados and a public hungry for news of our increasingly futuristic mobility enterprise. But this year, at the press preview days for the show, the grounds of the Porte de Versailles convention center felt a bit more sparsely populated than usual. This was not simply a subjective sensation, or one influenced by the center's atypically dispersed assemblage of seven discrete buildings, which tends to spread out the cars and the crowds. There were not only fewer new vehicles being premiered in Paris this year, there were fewer manufacturers there to display them. Major mainstream European OEM stalwarts such as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Nissan and Volkswagen chose to sit out Paris this year, as did boutique manufacturers like Bentley, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. This is not simply based in some antipathy on the part of the German, British and Italian manufacturers toward the French market — though for a variety of historical and societal reasons that market may be more dominated by vehicles produced domestically than others. Rather, it is part of a larger trend in the industry. Last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would not be participating in the flagship North American International Auto Show in 2019 — and that it might not return. Other brands including Jaguar/Land Rover, Audi, Porsche, Mazda and nearly every exotic carmaker have also departed the Detroit show. Some of these brands will still appear in the city in which the show is taking place, and host an event offsite, to capitalize on the presence of a large number of reporters in attendance. And even brands that do have a presence at the show have shifted their vehicle introductions to the days before the official press opening in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. In many ways, this makes sense. With an expanding number of automakers, with diversification and niche-ification of models and with wholesale shifts that necessitate the introduction of EV or autonomous sub-brands, there is a growing sense that, with everyone shouting at the same time, no one can be heard.

2015 Volkswagen Touran is the Euro MPV exemplified [w/video]

Wed, Mar 4 2015

Among the vehicles Volkswagen doesn't sell in the United States, we retain a soft spot for the tiny Touran MPV. Five doors, a reasonably sized trunk, clean sheet metal and an attractive cabin is an appealing combo, after all, regardless of the form factor. For the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, VW updated the popular compact van for European audiences. Like the Golf-inspired styling of the second-generation model, the popular hatchback's looks are clearly evident in the third-generation Touran. The Golf's small upper character line is more dramatic on the van, although the general taillight and headlight shapes are remarkably similar. The grille, meanwhile, is more Passat than anything else, with a conservative three-bar design. The R-Line model gets more dramatic front and rear bumpers, with black accents on the former and a pair of chromed exhaust tips jutting out underneath the latter. The cabin is typical of Volkswagen, with handsome materials throughout. Piano black is the dominant accent material, found on the dash and steering wheel, while the leather-wrapped steering wheel and hide seats both look like nice enough. Check out our full gallery of images of the new, third-generation Touran from the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Volkswagen presents the new Touran - Germany's best-selling MPV completely redeveloped - More room; smart new design - New engines up to 19 per cent more economical Volkswagen presents the new Touran. The completely redesigned MPV was showcased before an audience of international media representatives at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg, not far from the production site where the popular family car is made. The interior of the new model has undergone a significant increase in size and is highly configurable. Refinements have been made all around the vehicle, which boasts a range of six new economical engines and an extensive line-up of assistance and infotainment systems. The public premiere of the new Touran will take place in the coming week at the Geneva motor show. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, explained: "As one of the most successful family cars in the world with 1.9 million units sold, the Touran is indisputably Germany's top MPV.

America was the unexpected theme at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show thanks to Trump

Wed, Jan 11 2017

President-elect Donald Trump was not in attendance at this year's Detroit Auto Show, but it sure seemed like he was the target audience for many of the press conferences and announcements surrounding the event. Several manufacturers chose to play up existing and future commitments to the US in general and American jobs specifically in their presentations to the press, and we're pretty sure that has everything to do with Trump's recent targeting of automakers on Twitter. To us, it seemed automakers were going on the offensive to try and preempt any future tweet-shaming for investing in auto manufacturing anywhere but the US. The pro-America sentiment started the week prior to the auto show, with Ford announcing that it would build several future electrified vehicles at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan and also cancel a $1.6 billion factory planned for Mexico. Ford announced the two items on the same day, but the reality is that they likely have no relation to each other; the Mexican plant is being skipped because the company doesn't need the extra capacity to build the Ford Focus right now. Trump was still happy to share the news on Twitter. Then, on Sunday, FCA announced it would invest $1 billion in manufacturing plants in Ohio and Michigan to produce the new Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Wrangler-based pickup. It's not as though those potential new jobs were on their way out of the US, necessarily, but FCA took the opportunity to mention that plant upgrades at the Warren Truck Plant would allow the company to build Ram heavy duty trucks, which are currently assembled in Mexico, there. CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Trump and his proposed tariffs had nothing to do with the decision. We certainly believe that, but we also have to believe that the timing of the release, positive outcome for America, and zero gain for Mexico were all orchestrated. Again, Trump sent out a victory tweet as if this had been his doing. Ford then used its press conference at the show on Monday to reiterate the plans for Flat Rock and also confirm that the Ford Bronco and Ranger nameplates will be returning to the US market, and that both will be built at a plant in Michigan. Announcements of manufacturing locations are usually aimed at the UAW, which certainly has a stake in these things, but again this one was broadcast to the auto show crowd in general.