Rear Battery Installation - Chevy Volt batteries - VW Karmann Ghia

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

I decided to do something a little custom to mount the batteries. (I am using Chevy Volt batteries for this project.) 13 14 15 CHEVROLET VOLT LITHIUM-ION VOLTAGE BATTERY 16 KWH PACKAGE OEM J from eBay I probably could have strapped them on top of the rear engine compartment deck and put one or two in the front trunk as others have done. I have see other installations that put the batteries in the area where the rear seats would be. I wanted to accomplisth 2 things with battery placement. 1 not loose seating capacity (keep the rear seats), and not increase the center of gravity or cause too much rear weight distribution.

I decided to drop two of the battery boxes below the rear engine compartment on either side of the electric motor. They are to be approximately as low to the ground as the ICE was before it was removed. I am planning on putting one box in the front cargo area and putting the other remaining box (4 total) above the electric motor in the rear. This plan keeps the center of gravity low while distributing some of the weight forward. This should result in good driving dynamics.

To accomplish this plan, I cut out sections of the rear engine compartment floor with an angle grinder and custom fabricated hangers to hold the battery boxes out of 3/16" x 1" steel bar and M6 threaded rods. I had to reinforce the rear part of the engine deck with welded struts to support the weight.

Rear engine compartment showing space to left and right of the motor where the sheet metal will be cut out to fit the battery boxes.The rear lid was removed to place the motor.

This shows the sheet metal cut to fit the batteries on the right-hand side.

Custom welded battery hangers/ These attach to the batteries using the M6 threaded rods and bolts.

I had to reinforce the rear deck. I welded some pieces of 1/8" steel bar to improve the structure.

This shows a view from underneath the rear deck. Steel struts have been welded to support the batteries.

Here is the final picture showing both rear batteries installed.