1988 Volkswagen Other

Wagon

Electric Drive

Manual

9BWCA0309JP067362

Clear

Electric

1988 Volkswagen Fox converted to electric drive. I acquired the vehicle just a few months ago as both a novelty and due to an interest in alternative powered vehicles. At the time of purchase, there was some difficulty in starting the vehicle but, the staff at the auction house where I purchased the vehicle assured me that they had driven it around their yard previously. In the weeks that I’ve had it, it’s proven to be complete and in relatively good shape in both exterior and interior (e.g.: only needing a paint job and the wiping down of the interior). Additionally, I was able to track down the shop that carried out the conversion and more importantly I was able to speak with the shop’s owner who remembered the car very well. He commented that the vehicle ran great when the car was first converted but down the road proved to be a problem in that it would stall at red lights. They found the problem to be the batteries; specifically they found that the wrong batteries had been installed. The shop owner proved to be a wealth of insight and feedback (e.g.: I learned the correct starting procedure, found out how the regenerative braking worked, the fact that the car in 2010 was built at a cost of over $15,000 (i.e.: kit costs,mounting kit costs, purchase cost of vehicle, batteries, fabrication and labor) and of course the main quirk…namely the batteries). It was advised that the vehicle would be worthwhile with a change in batteries. I figured that eventually I would invest in some batteries. Unfortunately, since the time that I purchased the vehicle it has been sitting in front of my house due to other projects taking priority (e.g.: I have two range Rovers that I’m making roadworthy in the interim). Check the following link that the shop that completed the conversion posted on a VW specific website in 2010. The vehicle looks exactly the way it did in the post. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=395327. Feel free to ask me questions. Make an offer. If you're local, "come kick the tires". Thanks for checking!On Dec-30-13 at 10:04:40 PST, seller added the following information: The following is in response to a question raised by a fellow Ebayer regarding driving range and DMV registration. My response: I can't say definitively, but per the posting in 2010 by Stephan's Auto Haus who completed the install of the electric drive (e.g.: included link in my Ebay ad), the range is 100 miles on a full charge of 5-7 hours driving no faster than 65 mph. There might be some validity to that claim because the major components of the conversion are by Azure Dynamics. Azure Dynamics are responsible for Ford's current line of hybrids and electric vans in the form of the Transit Connect Electric van and the Azure Dynamics Balance Hybrid Electric vehicle which is built on the Ford E-450 commercial van, both vehicles having been sold in Canada and some Northeastern states. In doing my research I know that Azure Dynamics filed for bankruptcy protection in the Supreme Court of British Columbia in March 2012 and are awaiting for permission to allow their investors to restructure the company. As a result they had to stop their production of new electric vehicles with Ford but my understanding is that there are consumer products still available and some semblance of customer service and support as it relates to their electric drive units (there is a division in Detroit).Other than that, I know that most of the home garage done conversions have a range of about 30 to 40 miles while the better conversions (better components such as this one) done professionally have an average range of 50 to 80 miles. As far as DMV registration, on the registration card under the category TYPE LIC it says 69 which is a special ELP or Environmental issued plate. The vehicle formerly had plates that said GAS2ZEV. So it safe to say that it's registered as an electric vehicle.