Electric Conversion

Nice idea, but only if you fancy a nice big project. Just lease a EV as a main car. I think EV's are bloody brilliant for short trips and when I dont need to carry lots of stuff. When I did the maths a few years ago it blew any diesel/petrol car I wanted into the weeds after 10-12k pa miles.

So....

We got rid of my L200 and my wifes EB Mustang last year and leased a Merc EQA which has been amazing for most of our driving, and three years time we can chose to walk away. If you are careful we get 290 in the summer and about 230 in the winter. I can get from KT7 to Dorset coast (Mother-in-laws), or my Dads nr Bath sometimes on one charge, sometimes we need to stop for a coffee (no big deal).

What it isnt is a bike and camping fun bus. I bought my first VW van this Feb. Its a one business owner slightly dented BiTDI Caravelle 4motion. I have loved working on it and using it for bike/camping trips. I thinking holidays plus other milages it will do 4-6k pa.

This was going to be a 18m experiment. I was thinking when my L200 loan finishes in a year I would buy a much newer one. I am not so sure now...

My thoughts are I might stick a new engine in this one costing £10k. Madness you all shout, £10k on a van that a 135k dented old bus, but hear me out. I know its not going to increase the value, but if I buy a say £45k van I will probably end up with the same issues. I want 4motion. I can see all the other 204 BiTDI's now going the same way of the 180's, so I could spend £45k and have the same issues and then in a few years time they are all outlawed where I live and beyond?? Maybe??

Spend £10 more on my mega straight and in amazing condition underneath bus is possibly the cheaper option, or course drive the EV as much as we can, and only use the van for the odd 2nd car requirements and bigger family stuff. I think this is a perfect setup. Obv's money no object I would do the same with a 204 t6.
 
i sold mt t6 deisel as only getting around 35 and 42 ish on a run i cant get my head around the t6.1 electric doing around 50 range weres there brains yet the id bus surpose to do over 200 miles big diffrence in few years .i keep looking at he t6.1 electric thinking how can i make it better as the price is more in my range but the 50 range if your lucky puts me off stick with my vw caddy life for now any way
 
"i sold mt t6 deisel as only getting around 35 and 42" 35 to 42 on such a big vehicle sounds good to me @t6 steve

I do wonder if we skip ahead a generation we will still be using diesel, but far less and maybe bio-fuels. Hydrogen seems still to be a pipe-dream, electric works for people who lots of short trips and are close to home. I belive the future is less longer trips for most, especially day to day. Small self atonomus delivery vehicles , and lots of smaller trips locally by EV vehicles (cars and bikes), walking a cycling.

I know lots of people over the years who do 2hrs+ each way to and from work every day. This is madness and I am sure in the future they will think we were all bonkers. I shaped my career since the mid-90's to be easy on my life. I activly do not accept jobs that mean a rubbish commute and/or not able to go by bus/train and cycle as an option. I know not everyone can do this, but the point is if more did it gets better for those who cant. I am in an area on the doorstep of ULEZ expansion, which seems to be a money generating method, and nothing to do with reducing emissions short term. Its a tax on everyone but the rich who can afford and want to run newer vehicles
 
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I belive the future is less longer trips...
What do you think will drive this? Cost? Legislation? Lack of vehicles capable of longer trips?

I fear you may well be correct, but it's certainly not something that most campervan owners want to hear!
 
Festa over on the T5 Forum is thinking about buying a T6.1 ABT Electric van then ripping out the batteries and running gear then chucking in a 3.0TDI engine. As the van is registered EV it’ll be great to run around in London as he goes there nearly everyday. :thumbsup:
 
Festa over on the T5 Forum is thinking about buying a T6.1 ABT Electric van then ripping out the batteries and running gear then chucking in a 3.0TDI engine. As the van is registered EV it’ll be great to run around in London as he goes there nearly everyday. :thumbsup:
and c10-15 years of ownership it will be a bargain
 
Well well, there's a surprise, 2035 now.
Ever since they announced their intentions, I've been predicting it wouldn't happen in 2030. It's what happens when ill-conceived political ambition meets cold, hard reality.
 
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