Classic cars with e-power

Created: 12/07/2022 10:04 am

Fast on the move: The VW Transporter from Hagen Schneider with a crew cab.

© Karlheinz Günster

Hagen Schneider from Edling has restored an old T2 Transporter - and installed an electric motor

Edling - Converting a 44-year-old VW T2 Transporter into an electric car requires patience and passion.

Hagen Schneider from Edling got it off the ground and was so happy with it that he is already working on the next vehicle

The 45-year-old Hagen Scheinder comes from the former GDR and is therefore used to making do with what is available.

Even as a child he screwed together soap boxes.

Today, the business IT specialist and his company develop software for other companies so that they can market their products more easily.

This also explains why the VW bus is technically equipped with sophisticated battery cell monitoring, radio-controlled central locking, navigation device and other modern conveniences.

Schneider also likes vintage cars, but thinks it's a shame "if they just stand around".

They should move, that's better for the technology.

But daily shopping is only a short distance away.

But that's bad for an internal combustion engine, even though it's done far too often.

The consumption,

A key event for Hagen Schneider was his marriage many years ago.

"Friends thought it was funny to give me a used Trabi".

The Trabant was once the most popular car in East Germany.

It was prepared, then more cars followed and one thing led to another.

"Why should they just stand there?" he asked himself, and that's how the idea of ​​installing an electric motor was born.

Tinkerer with a heart for vintage cars: Hagen Schneider © Karlheinz Günster

"There's a real scene where you help each other."

A look into the engine compartment triggers a culture shock in the unprepared observer.

Where an engine with cylinders, hoses, belts and its filigree shapes with the smell of oil should be, there is a fairly large electric engine, around 60 hp, considerably simpler in appearance and as an industrial product almost off the peg and therefore good available.

Solar panels generate up to 720 watts of electricity

Suddenly everything is very simple: the transmission stays where it is, because it ultimately doesn't care who drives its input shaft.

There is a selection of adapter plates that connects the electric motor with the transmission of the different vehicle types, that's all.

An H for historical is therefore excluded from the license plate because something essential is missing.

This is where the E is for electric.

The shape of the VW transporter is also ideal for the necessary batteries, which are located under the loading area and in this case come from a "BMW i3".

The VW is also ideal for another reason, because as a double cab (Doka) it has a second rear seat and a loading area.

"Dokas were usually only used by the German armed forces and in the construction sector," says Hagen Schneider.

A model from the Bundeswehr was very neat on the inside, although otherwise completely rusted.

Photovoltaic elements are now on the roof, they can be folded up on the loading area and generate up to 720 watts of electricity, so the car can be left outside if you like.

It's constantly charging, so a refrigerated compartment keeps your purchases warm in the summer.

A range of a good 180 kilometers is sufficient for short trips.

Did Hagen Schneider and TÜV become friends during this conversion?

His experiences are different, nobody can avoid an individual acceptance.

"For some it's the devil's stuff, but there are also test centers that are familiar with such things." He is proud that he has already had clean and perfect work certified.

The inspectors reward you when you don't have to search and everything is presented in a tidy manner.

On the other hand: "The rules and regulations are extreme, so we stand in our own way with the energy transition," says Schneider.

It is important to work precisely: "Anyone who thinks nobody will notice is already making a mistake."

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And how does the car drive?

Surprisingly quick, the transmission plays a subordinate role, the torque of the engine impresses over the entire speed range.

It is therefore practical to use fourth gear continuously.

Without the clutch, the engine accelerates from a standstill to almost 110 kilometers per hour, which is more than enough for shopping.

All in all, it was important to Hagen Schneider that his wife coped well with it.

Is such a conversion worth it?

Not according to conventional criteria with working time and effort, everything cost up to 30,000 euros, but including restoration with welding, removing rust and painting the classic car.

But anyone who sees a gain in a kilowatt hour saved and prefers to use existing vehicles instead of throwing them away and thus saving energy and raw materials - will be happy to do so.