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Classic and sustainable: Beetle can be converted into an electric car at low cost and with simple installation. Find out how much it costs, where to buy it and how to adapt it.
O Volkswagen Beetle, one of the most iconic cars in global automotive history, is getting a new lease of life in the 21st century — this time, , the electric vehicle. Produced since 1938 and popularized in Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s, the Beetle became famous for its four-cylinder air-cooled combustion engine. Today, with the advancement of technology and the growth of automotive electrification, it is possible to convert it to electric for around R $ 12 thousand, using a Chinese kit sold on Alibaba.
An affordable and functional electrical kit
The kit, with an approximate value of US$ 2.000, includes the main components for the conversion: electric motor 15 kW (about 20 horsepower), controller, charger, accelerator pedal and an additional instrument panel. Installation is relatively simple: the engine can be coupled directly to the original Beetle rear axle, dispensing with major structural changes to the vehicle.
This retrofit model has already been adopted in several independent projects in Brazil. According to an article by Canaltech, the ease of installation combined with the low cost has attracted the attention of fans of the model.
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Price difference between kits
While companies like EV West in the US offer conversion kits that cost more than US$ 20.000 (around R$100), the Chinese version offers an extremely competitive alternative. For those who want to maintain the essence of the Beetle, but update it for a more sustainable era, the solution is seen as an efficient middle ground.
Report from InsideEVs Brazil highlights that conversion is one of the most accessible ways to enter the world of classic electric cars in the country.
And the battery?
It is worth remembering that the kit Does not include battery pack, which must be purchased separately. The recommendation is to use a set of 96 volts, which can be assembled with lithium-ion batteries, similar to those used in electric motorcycles and bicycles. Although it represents an additional cost, the options on the market are wide, with prices that vary according to the desired autonomy.
Even with 20 horsepower, the instant torque delivery provided by electric motors improves drivability in urban environments. This is one of the great advantages of electrification, as demonstrated by tests presented on specialized channels such as Electric Garage YouTube.
Sustainable classic: a growing trend
In addition to reducing fuel consumption, converted cars eliminate pollutant gas emissions, helping to combat global warming. According to Estadão Mobilidade and industry experts, electric retrofits are expected to gain ground in the coming years, including with government incentives.
Brazil recently launched the Mover Program, focusing on the production and adoption of electric and sustainable vehicles, which tends to benefit initiatives like this even more.
Is it worth transforming your Beetle?
If you are a collector, a fan of the model or a sustainability enthusiast, electric conversion represents a unique opportunity to keep the classic in circulation for many years, with much less environmental impact and reduced operating costs. With kits ranging from R$10 thousand and R$30 thousand, this is an affordable and effective revolution.
Watch now: see how the complete video conversion process works in Electric Garage channel
Did you like the idea of transforming a classic like the Beetle into an electric car? Leave your opinion in the comments! We want to know what you think about this sustainable and affordable retrofit trend.
Excellent, just missing the money!
And the batteries! 🤣🤣🤣, so everything is missing.
In my case, I also lack the Beetle 😁 😁 😁 😁
My case is more serious, I'm missing the Beetle, the kit, the battery and, most importantly, I don't have the money to pay for all of this...!!!!
Thank God I don't have any of that either and I won't have to decide whether or not to do something like that!
I don't think it will work for Beetle owners, it takes away all the charm and originality. It won't work here in Brazil. There's also the cost of the battery and other extras that come with the kit.
Maybe not. I urgently want to electrify my 75.
Remember that Brazilians started using cooking gas! Why not use electricity? I know people who, if it were up to them, would even use fart…
My father, a mechanic since 1955, was the first to transform and test a vehicle engine running on LPG in Brazil. He adjusted it with a lot of work until it worked. Before, he had run a car with carbide gas, the so-called acetylene welding gas, but he gave up because it didn't work, since carbide is super explosive and dangerous. In the late 70s, he successfully ran a Chevrolet Brazil with a mixture of ethanol and LPG, which ran up to 600 km with a cylinder and 30 liters of alcohol. I was able to follow this adventure.
Well, I remember alcohol or ethanol only in the 80s;
Beetle and Beetle.
And the business is the electricity bill at the end of the month.
Brazilians are always hard up.
Go to work son, go to work and stop complaining
And to legalize it with the DMV?
If you can get an invoice for everything and put an Air bag and side bars on the Beetle, you legalize it…
Is it keeping the original Beetle. Or will it have to go through Inmetro? Then it's a ****.
Detran?! Not even the Beetle has documents
Changing fuel characteristics like any other vehicle. When you install CNG for example. Electric vehicles in Brazil are already a legal reality. So the change for this type of modification is also necessary. If you want to put CNG in your Beetle you
can for example
It's complicated my friend, it's better for you to work and leave it alone!
Here in the countryside, even a normal Beetle has its uses. Come work here, you'll carry wood and have fun, you'll get wood 😉👍🏽
But what about the battery?
Didn't read the article?