Karmann Ghia EV Conversion Parts List - In Progress

Parts:

(view all parts from available from Amazon here: Karmann Ghia EV Conversion Parts List)


Chevy Volt Battery pack
13 14 15 CHEVROLET VOLT LITHIUM-ION VOLTAGE BATTERY 16 KWH PACKAGE OEM J from eBay

Junkyard
$1200

Motor
Netgain Warp 9 EV DC
WarP 9 EV Motor Electric Car Motor 72V DC Motor Netgain Motor New ECPC USA Stock from eBay

ElectricCarPartsCompany.com
$2000

Controller
Synkromotive DC 750 DC Motor Controller
Private party
$1350

Speed Sensor
WarP Motor Speed Sensor Kit
EVSource.com
$99

Throttle
WarP-Drive Hall-Effect Cable-Pull Throttle
EVSource.com
$225

Adapter Plate & Shaft Coupler

Wilderness EV (I do not recommend)
$500 plus cost to make it work properly

Contactors (3)
Gigavac GC200-MA EV Contactor
Gigavac Contactor GV200MA 500+Amp - 12-800 Volt DC -12/24 Volt DC Coil from eBay
EVSource.com
$112 each

Gigavac P105 Mini-Tactor Contactor Relay - 1200 Volts
EVWest.com
$49

Fuse & Holder
Ferraz A30QS500-4H - Ferraz Shawmut 500A 300VDC Fuse w/ Holder
EVSource.com
$91

Ferraz Shawmut A15QS400-4 Fast Acting Current Limiting Semiconductor Fuse (for connections between batteries)
eBay
$30

Ferraz Shawmut ATM5 High Voltage Low Current EV Fuse 600 Volt 5 Amp(for connection between battery pack and DC/DC converter)
eBay
$5

Ferraz Shawmut Rail Mount UltraSafe Fuse Holder High Voltage Low Current (for the ATM5 fuse)
eBay
$4

8 Gauge AWG Inline Maxi Fuse Holder with Waterproof Cover (5/pack) (for 30-40 amp fuses on the 12 volt circuit)
eBay
$13

10 NEW MAXI Car Truck Boat RV Fuse 20,30,40,50,60 AMP (for MAXI fuses)
Amazon
$5

Beetrie 110pcs 5x20mm Quick Blow Glass Tube Fuse Assorted Kit Amp 0.2A 0.5A 1A 2A 3A 5A 6A 8A 10A 15A (forlow current fuses to controller)
Amazon
$6

DIGITEN 5x20mm AGC Fuse Holder Inline screw type with 16 AWG wire (Pack of 10) (for tube fuses)
Amazon
$7

Bussmann ATC-15 Auto Fuse 5-Piece (for 12 volt connections)
Amazon
$5

Parts Express ATC/ATO Water-resistant Fuse Holder - 10 AWG (for ATC fuses)
Amazon
$8

DC/DC Converter
400W 30 Amp Isolated 108-216 Volts (ECDC-HV)
EVWest.com
$229

Gauge
Xantrex Linklite (NEEDS PRESCALER!)
$210

Pre-Scaler
Increase E-Xpert Pro Voltage Input To 350VDC - Passive
EVSource
$56

Inertia Switch
First Technology Inertia Switch
EVWest.com
$53

Disconnect Switch
Gigavac Maintenance Switch HBD41AA 1000V 400A Continuous Hermetically Sealed (Main Switch)
EVWest.com
$78.00

12 Volt power supply (for charging the battery) - HP Proliant DL580 G5 438202-002 DPS-1200FB 1200W Power Supply
HP Proliant DL580 G5 438202-002 DPS-1200FB 1200W Power Supply from eBay
$30 x 2

Charger
ElCon PFC 2000+ Battery Charger (120volt/20 amp)
EVSource.com
$665

LED Replacement Lights:

Headlights
7" Crystal Glass/Metal Headlight CREE SMD COB 360° LED Light Bulb Headlamp Pair - on eBay
eBay
$126


Sidemarker bulbs OE-1895
LUYED 5 x BA9s 3014 30-smd White Color BA9 BA9S 53 57 1895 64111 LED Bulbs used for side door courtesy lights,Map Lights
Amazon
$12

Brake light bulbs OE-1157
LUYED 2 x 800 Lumens Super Bright 1157 2835 33-smd White Color 1157 2057 2357 7528 LED Bulbs used for turn signal lights ,tail lights
Amazon
$13





Misc Parts:
2/0 AWG Wire: 25' 2/0 EXCELENE WELDING CABLE RED USA NEW BATTERY from eBay
1/0 AWG Wire: 0 Gauge 25’ Wire UltraFlex Amplifier Red Ga 1/0 Amp Power/ Ground Cable 25 Ft from eBay
2/0 Wire Lugs 1/2" and 3/8"
10 AWG Wire: Monster Cable 100% OFC Copper 100Ft 10 AWG Gauge Power/Ground/Speaker Car Wire from eBay
M6 threaded rods
3/8 Nuts and Bolts
M10 Bolts
#10 Nuts and bolts
Fuses: Bussmann ATC-15 Auto Fuse 5-Piece, Ancor Marine Grade Electrical Fuse,
Fuse holder: DIGITEN 5x20mm AGC Fuse Holder Inline screw type with 16 AWG wire.  Parts Express ATC/ATO Water-resistant Fuse Holder - 10 AWG 
Resistor: E-Projects 10EP512100K 100k Ohm Resistors, 1/2 W, 5%
12V 18AH SLA Battery - ExpertPower EXP12180 12 Volt 18 Ah Rechargeable Battery with Nuts and Bolts
Welding wire:  INETUB BA71TGS .035-Inch on 2-Pound Spool Carbon Steel Gasless Flux Cored Welding Wire
Eye bolt to lift motor: Mintcraft LR287 1/2-Inch X 4-Inch Zinc Eye Bolt with Nuts



Tools:
Cable Cutter
Jonard JIC-63050 High Leverage Cable Cutter with Red Handle, 9-1/4" Length


Hydraulic Crimping Tool
8 Ton Hydraulic Wire Crimper Crimping Tool with 9 Dies Battery Cable Lug Terminal Electrical Crimping Tool Kit


Center Punch
TEKTON 6580 Automatic Center Punch

EV Conversion: Throttle installation -- connect throttle cable to cable pull throttle

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

A gasoline engine has a throttle which controls engine speed. The accelerator pedal pulls on the throttle cable which is typically connected to the carburetor. For an electric conversion, this cable has to pull on a device that signals the controller as to the pedal position. I used the WarP-Drive Hall-Effect Cable-Pull Throttle. This device was tricky to mount because there was nothing to attach it to directly. I bolted a piece of bar steel to the firewall and bent it 90 degrees to serve as a mount for the throttle. I routed the cable through it and used a cable stop to hold it in place. Here is a video of the test run of the throttle.

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.

EV Conversion Warp 9 Motor Installation

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

I installed the Netgain Warp 9 motor (WarP 9 EV Motor Electric Car Motor 72V DC Motor Netgain Motor New ECPC USA Stock from eBay) in the VW. It basically went as planned. I used a jack to slide it under the car and then removed the trunk and suspended the motor using racheting cargo straps. I had to remove part of the sheet metal in front of the trunk latch with an angle grinder to make it fit. The spindle shaft had to be cut down as well for the adapter to fit.

Spindle shaft on VW transaxle

Spindle shaft cut

Two cargo straps were used to wiggle it into position. It wouldn't fit without cutting the rear apron.

Job well done. The tail shaft did not have to be removed.

EV Conversion: Shaft coupler fixed, turned and balanced

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

I bought a shaft coupler and adapter plate for the Warp 9 motor to mate with the VW transaxle. The coupler arrived from Wilderness EV and I mounted the clutch. Once I spun it up, I noticed a significant wobble. I sent it back to Brian at Wilderness and he said he would replace it. Instead of replacing it, his mechanic turned the face where the clutch mounts. This fixed the wobble, however, since material was preferentially removed from one side, it caused the coupler to be seriously out of balance.

Shaft coupler with the clutch removed. The face was turned.

Bad vibrations

Rather than send it back again at my expense, I took it to JTL Automotive in Keyport, NJ. They measured 41.2 g out of balance. By welding on weights to one side and shaving down the other he got it to about 4 g out of balance. It looks like garbage but there is no more vibration.

after balancing

adapter plate mounted on the motor - Be sure the plate is aligned properly (rotated) or you will have to remove it later for the installation. You don't want the wire terminals pointing down. The plate fits very tightly, needed to be impacted in place with a hammer and torqued down with the bolts.

clutch mounted again and placed on the motor

Final spin up, looks good!

Warp 9 Motor - checking of advanced timing

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

I wanted to make sure the motor timing was properly advanced for the CCWDE use.
The Netgain manual explains how to wire for CCWDE and CWDE. Mine is wired for CCWDE which is the most common rotation. As per the wiring instructions, A1 is connected to S1 and A2 and S2 are connected to power. I use a 12 volt auto battery for bench testing. See: bench test procedure for reference.

WarP 9 EV Motor Electric Car Motor 72V DC Motor Netgain Motor New ECPC USA Stock from eBay

Bolts on the back of the motor

This shows proper alignment. I unscrewewd the bolts on the back of the motor, lifted the cover and made sure it was oriented in the CCW most position. The timing positions rotate the brushes on the commutator. If the timing is advanced it should not be run in reverse.

The markings for the timing are hard to read, they show N for Neutral, CCW, and CW. Advanced timing is used for higher voltages (96Volts or more as per Netgain) in these electric motors.

EV Conversion: More Problems with Shaft Coupler

71 VW Karmann Ghia EV Conversion

Netgain sent me the Warp 9 Motor to replace the Impluse 9. The Warp 9 is a beauty.

I am really unhappy with the progress on the shaft coupler. Brian Wilderness EV agreed to take back the original coupler due to the alignment problem which caused wobbling. See my last post for details.
Instead of sending me back a new one, he turned (resurfaced) the transmission side of the disk. This helped align the adapter, however, by preferentially removing material from one side and not the other, the disk is badly out of balance and vibrates when rotated, especially at high speed. So instead of a wobble, I now have a vibrating shaft coupler. To add insult, I had to pay return shipping on the defective part.

Here is the shaft coupler after it was turned by Wilderness EV.

This video shows the degree of vibration caused by the out of balance shaft coupler.