THE KOMBI KONNECTION

kimba

I just made a post about this, but due to my technical inabilities it seems to have disappeared from my screen? Perhaps this is another case of fat fingers hitting the wrong buttons?
Aaaaanyway, I'll type the general gist of it here again...

Liam (my daughter's Dad) is a sparky. He used to work for a company in Welshpool called The 12 Volt Shop, some of the work he did was installing dual battery systems and solar systems on campers, caravans and 4WDs.
While he was there, he converted a petrol forklift to electric. That project sparked interest in him to try converting a car to electric, but he didn't know if it would be the same process as converting a forklift, and didn't know anyone he could talk about the idea with (we know quite a few electrical and mechanical engineering students but they just stared blankly at him when he started to talk about it).
So at the Sun Fair at UWA (which, by the way, was really bad) on the weekend there were quite a few more electric cars than in previous years, and Liam had a good look at them. He's realised it's basically the same as what he did for the forklift, so has decided to give it a go. It'll be a slow project that will happen as funds and time become available.
He has decided to convert a kombi because (not only are they well spunky) it will have the room for a decent sized battery bank, which will give a decent range between recharges, AND still have room for seats in the back.
The company in Victoria that converts Hyundai Getz cars to electric gets a 100km range in the Getz, so depending on how many batteries we can afford, we should be able to get more with a kombi.
We don't yet have a kombi shell, so are on the hunt so if anyone has one, or knows of one they'd like to donate or sell for up to a few hundred $, please get in touch.

Once the project is underway we'll post updates on the KK.

Brookie · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:57 am Post subject:

There is a number of vehicles being converted in Perth including a Kombi which I think is being done in Welshpool.
Made a post about this a while ago- electric motor is fairly cheap but batteries are approx $20,000.

Edit:
http://thekombikonnection.myfreef...html&highlight=electric+kombi
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Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

kimba · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:07 am Post subject:

Some friends of my sister were apparently converting a kombi to electric and moving to Denmark to live the hippy life (how terribly cliche Rolling Eyes

), perhaps theirs was the one in Welshpool? I know he used to work a few doors down from Liam when he was at 12V.
Batteries ARE the expensive part, which is why it will be a slow project, but hopefully a successful one.

Brookie · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:10 am Post subject:

I was invited down to see it around New Year but didn't make it.It was well on way at that stage.
This is local forum of Electric Vehicle Assn.

http://www.aeva.asn.au/forums/forum_topics.asp?FID=22

They used to have own page.

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Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

Rod

kimba · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:57 pm Post subject:

Maybe not so ambitious after all...
Liam just sent me this link:

http://e-volks.com/about.html

I haven't had a look around it myself yet.

Brookie · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:20 pm Post subject:

This is another local link with info on Kombi conversion

http://www.aeva.asn.au/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=804

Have just spoken to ROBM and Kombi is virtually finished -just waiting on batteries.
Have asked for some pics if possible.

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_________________
Kombis Keep you Younger

73 Sopru Poptop-under resto

kimba · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:45 pm Post subject:

AWESOME!! Thanks for the link Brookie.
I reckon we'll be in touch with him too before we start the project.
Our main roadblocks at the moment are the lack of a kombi shell, funds and time.
Time will not be a problem forever, just until we sell the house and Liam moves south near Zaelie and I.
I wish we could start today...
(but then I also wish I could have started on Brigit yesterday!!)

BEAN

Diddlie · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:37 am Post subject:

Very exciting, wish you all the best

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Di
Kombi Karma - you know it makes sense
www.klaus1.bigblog.com.au
76 8 seater poptop, resto'd in a fashion