What a humble guy! I can see him saying in a future video "Yeah, this is my time displacement machine. It works ok. Not the fanciest but it gets me to and from the bronze-age..."
Some of y’all don’t get how hard this is to pull off. EV conversions are insanely involved and nothing to scoff at, and this guy did it in 2008 when there was absolutely zero resources on how to do anything like this. What a legend
Absolutly zero ressources? EV are almost as old as thermic car... And there were some car makers who made some EV during the 70's, 80's.... EV did not started with Tesla.
@@rigoloweb4762 Zero resources as in do-it-yourself guides and off-the-shelf kits. Nobody is trying to deny EVs didn't exist but conversions only became trendy from 2010 onwards which means this guy had to figure a lot of things out himself which as a result likely means he is more knowledgable than average EV converter today.
*opens glove box* More cells *Opens center console* More cells *Lifts sun visor* More cells *Cuts open tires* More cells *Shifts seats back* More cells
i am an Iraqi man, i just imagine driving this car in Baghdad with all these electrical componenets, it will be really hard to prove its not a carbomb.
Keep in mind $25k was 10 years ago. So many advancements have come with EV parts and suppliers and with the model 3 becoming so popular once everyone quits picking the wrecked ones of parts and batteries you can do this way cheaper. If you're looking for a normal EV car that isn't real sporty you can pick up wrecked E bike not E bicycles but street bikes and convert them to what ever you want. The hardest part is getting the motor to mate the the drive line or transmission but if you can take decent measurements you can have these parts CNC machined fairly cheap now.
I recently bought a model 3 for my wife and had never driven one before. I am a tech guy and thought that shit was magic. He did this ten years ago. Alas, I am just a state school guy.
@Zeksteve Disagree, the code isn't really that complicated, adequately designing an inverter for different ranges, EMI, and efficiency at high power is much more complicated
Nothing short of a genius. To understand all the electronics, the mechanicals and to actually be able to machine it into a solution is nothing less than amazing. WELL DONE!
Its all about starting small and building off smaller projects and experience. Before you know it, you will be trouble shooting and building stuff you never thought previously you could.@@roelfkromhout
You deserve a stand-up ovation! "My EV conversion helped me land job at Tesla, where I was Sr. Staff Controls engineer in the Powertrain equipment engineering team, 2011-2018. I drove the car in to my interview, and gave a 30 min presentation on it. I consider it my rolling resume"
Not the answer for humanity. The combustion engine is still best and will be for decades to come. EV's are a fraud that will set the third world and developing countries 500 years. Dirty not reusable unreliable and just being used by Marxist politicians to overthrow the world. Fools you're not that smart
@@voornaam3191 No, dude. Converting your own vehicle into an EV all by yourself (and a decade ago at that) is not "normal", and doing it correctly is even less "normal". I dunno what planet you live on, but on this one, most people are pretty clueless.
@@voornaam3191 using AC motor with DC batteries is absurd. This system is pointlessly complex and very wasteful. It's impressive how much work was put into it and how impressive the end results are, but this NOT how it should be done.
Very impressive, especially given the fact that you did all this 10+ yrs. ago when even a company like Tesla barely started having reliable vehicles available. Probably one of the best Videos on youtube that I have seen that actually does something truly unique and useful!
EXACTLY!!!!!!!! I was completely floored by it!!!! having futuristic technology and still be able to drive with a stick!!! where do i sign up, I want to order mine!!!!!
his battery's can't last very long since I see no cooling on the battery's and he live in California which gets warm enough to cook the battery's off over time
@@uturniaphobic based on how old it is I am guessing his was diy but I could be wrong although his has the smell of being diy due to how hardcore it seems to be
No, the most impressive is the budget put in a 20 YO Passat to reach an autonomy of 100 miles max. The idea is really cool (I was really enthusiast when I clicked the video), the realization is nice, but the result is just okay.
@@C4H10N4O2 this is a very old car, back then cars didnt really have the high range. this was all revolutionised by tesla. the car is even before this! the most impressive thing by far is that it has an AC and a heater.
This man is literally everything I'm not. I have severe ADD and AT BEST average IQ. I can't even do the slightest tasks like going to the Home Depot next to my house to pick up some light bulbs to replace the dead ones in my house. It takes all my willpower just to do that. In fact I'm supposed to be at work at this very moment yet I honestly don't have the willpower to move and I'm 3 hours late. This man built A NEW CAR FROM AN OLD ONE. TALK ABOUT BRAIN POWER.
I aspire for this level of genius and also the fact that he was so calm about everything he's done is mind blowing. You deserve some sort of award for this monster level of engineering.
To those mentioning Teslas X: there's several dozen engineers developing, aside various computers that worked along to put that system up, while this single man made everything by its own, make it suit nicely. This is what I call a man that knows his way throw problem solving. Very impressive job!
Coolest electric I've seen. And the best part of it all? Manual transmission! Such a rare feature on these kinda things. Very inspiring. Awesome job. Can't wait for ur next one.
@@Darkest_matter And the knowledge ! It is a lot. I understand a lot of what these parts do, inverter, bms, etc...but he MADE those parts himself from scratch.
killer work, killer job. I love the less than "glamorous" touches like the rachet straps and kinda rusty angle iron, shows that this wasn't some youtube star making something with an unlimited budget for views. What an awesome machine
This guy is a genius. You can tell he understands everything that goes into his EV car. Nice video, and nice car. I am envious. Clean setup and very well done.
At the beginning of the video was like hey maybe I should turn my car into an EV and then at the end of the video I was like I'm just going to save up and get a Tesla
Now the conversion kits are much easier to fit........ You can but the whole kit from one Chinese supplier....... Also the cost has drastically come down !
WOW - i first saw this car being put together went i was in college - now 8 years of engineering experience later - its still a fantastic labor of love
Last line in the description: “I also did a Mazda Rotary engine & 5 speed in my MG Midget, and a Subaru flat 6 engine in my Porsche 914.” Wow this guy is familiar with his engine swaps! I love that mindset, not doing something because it’s easy to do or necessarily the best option, but to learn a lot and have something unique to be proud of. Mechatronics engineering sounds like a really cool degree.
Being a power generation electrician and do maintenance and VFD work, I'm impressed. I work with a lot of the parts you use in your car and they all come from different uses in the industrial field. Awesome job adapting them to work together!!
Yes, i'm really far from both mechanics and electronic in lots of things (computers, cars i forget things all the time) but i *SEE* and *HEAR* it in the guy's speech and car, it's built to last, it's not expensive, nor cheap and that it's not super fancy, yet doesn't hold on blue tape and chewing gum, and that's what i can respect whole-heartedly. I could also tell all this after processing it a few minutes per element as well, hahahah, *very* interesting car and video that's for sure. You can't bash on the guy trying to go green the *most* awesome way
This dude is the most straight-forward, humble dude. In his next video I'm sure we'll hear: "Turns out Doc was wrong. I was able to achieve get back with far less than 1.21 gigawatts"
This leaves me speechless! How much konwledge you must have to do such an amazing job! And so clean of an installation too! Speechless... More videos on your experience would surely be appreciated! Keep it up!
A 500 hours job is no hack job. EV conversion from scratch, followed by the DMV inspection, 10 years and 90k miles of good working order is no hack job neither. There was a lot of attention to detail put into this IMHO.
Stuff like this really interests me seeing what a smart person with internet access can design, acquire off the shelf parts for and implement. I'll bet with the progression in 3d printing and the like, you could recase a lot of the components to make it a little sleeker too, but you can't knock the performance and ingenuity
The technicalities is very good. The details of physics as well as energy harnessing, maintenance is superior, since it can last for many years. Congratulations.
You picked the perfect chassis to build this on. The b5/.5 is extremely reliable the interior will go to 400k and still look clean inside. And the frames don’t rust out Bc they are alloy
@@vee6411 I am pretty sure the B5 Passat was also shipped with 1.9 TDI which are widely regarded as one of the most reliable engines ever made. Not saying the electric motors did not improve the car , but I have heard of 1.9tdi going over 1Million km and have seen a lot sitting at over 500.000km personally
@@TheMasterMief Yes, you are right. I was more or less making a joke which is why I said gas engine. But you see, German engines are not too bad mechanically. Although some are plagued with oil leaks, coolant pipe leaks etc but nothing catastrophic usually. Those are more just design flaws and minor inconveniences. However, the thing that makes modern German engines a hit or miss in terms of reliability is all the complex electronics. When engine computers fail, it doesn’t matter how good the hardware is. I’m sure plenty of modern engine hardware can do 1 million but its electrical issues that prevent it from doing so.
On top of the electrical engineering know-how, I'm impressed by the quality of the build itself, thoughtful layout of the components in the trunk, and features for the driver. Neat and tidy. My EE dad would also be mighty impressed.
@@SirDella yep he mentions it in the description - My EV conversion helped me land job at Tesla, where I was Sr. Staff Controls engineer in the Powertrain equipment engineering team, 2011-2018. I drove the car in to my interview, and gave a 30 min presentation on it. I consider it my rolling resume.
@@BenCos2018 Oh I thought he got a job at tesla, got experience and then built the car That's even more impressive, a rolling resume haha it's a great introduction
man it's awesome to see what ev conversions looked like in 2008, nowadays it would require so much less to do the conversion, it would be much cheaper and easier too. definitely an early adopter kind of investment and an interesting car, hope to see it on the road with my own eyes someday
This is WAY more advanced than most DIY electric vehicle conversions even in 2008. There were people in the late 2000's still using series brushed DC motors and lead acid batteries. This guy even has an inverter for air conditioning, something I haven't seen before in DIY EVs, though I'm not that well read on the history of DIY EV culture.
You’re a badass. I felt like I was watching the most perfect video resume. You caught so many of the design challenges in epic and complementary ways. Really great stuff. You’re fantastic.
You are an incredible engineer. This is amazing, you've really turned this thing inside out and you did it so cleanly. 90k miles and 10 years on DIY modifications is seriously impressive.
Greatest own build ever of an electric vehicle, every thing you explain seams ages of work and you make it look so simple. A lot of time invested in this car! Great work!
You are a master. Most every conversion I watch is older vehicles and they cut out a lot of the cars' conveniences. That's easy. You converted a modern car including regen and it appears you have everything hooked up and/or retrofitted to electric, including your heated seats! This is just amazing.
Wow this was one of the best videos I have watched on UA-cam. The amount of engineering, time, sweat and blood that went into this is totally out of this world. Congratulations on this one my man! All that hard work paid off
Switching from the vector control to encoder-on-a shaft RPM control is something I could never imagine to hear on the DIY automobile channel, but here it is.. Also, that terminal strip with the individual cell voltage monitoring possibility is pure brilliance.
Lucian Iștoc still there must be a gearing ratio because of different speeds and following in-/efficiency so you would need a converter of some sort. For him it was probably easier to just use the already existing clutch.
Jonathan Garzon. This is one of the things that actually shits me about society. How smart you are has nothing to do with formal education, it’s about how you apply common sense and spend time learning yourself. In my job I actually do some quite complex stuff that “technically” your supposed to have a degree to do. I’ve also had to tell “proper” engineers how to design stuff bearing in mind the price and availability of the items in question. So many of them in my area of expertise will design XYZ and only X is actually available so most of the parts they need aren’t even on the shelf and the whole thing needs to be redesigned. Which I do with my real world experience. Then you have the installers who are supposed to be qualified and don’t even know how to read instructions properly and you end up having to bail them out of their fuckups. I only have a year 10 education (didn’t even graduate from college) but I have over 15 years experience in the same job. In my experience a person who is willing to learn and put in the hard yards is worth far more to a company than a person with a degree and no real world experience. Too bad employers never see it that way!
Dude, just found your channel and build. Your skills are legendary - thank you so much for sharing. Based on what I see people doing today the builds look less complicated but yours has been running for 10 years so props to you.
I remember watching the intro to this build back in the day!! That siemens AC motor was cheap at the time, and because of the output flange were deamed unusable. When you came up with the taper lock flange, you blew alot of people's mind. Awesome build my friend. Glad to see it's still up and running well.
This is awesome. Having the knowedge to not necessarily know everything about anything you want to build, but to know enough and where to find the knowledge or who to ask for it, is super cool. I'd guess that sourcing parts was probably the most difficult part for him on this project.
Wow this is impressive. I remember so many half-assed EV conversions from back then, I would bet very few are still on the road - if they ever got there in the first place. This one looks like it could do another decade of commuting easy.
Looks like this gentleman ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING versus MOST other youtubers who goof and mug endlessly about something that OTHERS did and claim to be doing something. Also; thank you, thank you, THANK YOU; for NOT making your presentation ALL ABOUT YOUR FACE like so many, many other "creators" who use the "Classic 2008 narcissistic Volgger Style".
I can't believe it's already been 10 years since you've done the conversion, when you posted the original video, between you and Gavin EV I was determined to create my own EV. I was never able to make it happen.
@@etischer Hey Eric, good to see your conversion and the CALBs are going strong after 10 years. If you're still at the car company, I'm guessing you're also a customer by now ;-)
seeing that as Passat- wagon- loving- german I think this is a great build. Old but its done some miles. The limosine " shelf" in the trunk makes for a great way of installing all the EV- components. A Passat wagon wouldnt have that much more usable space...
But there's a lot value in writing a check, driving away, and never having to even think how it all works. EV conversions are a lot easier to do today. There are kits for DIYers, and numerous companies across the country that will do it for you.
A base model Tesla x is much faster, larger, and the range is a lot higher. You get to feel very comfortable in it with almost no outside noise. It’s better in virtually every way. If I had the money I’d rather buy the Tesla. 100 miles of range just isn’t enough for me. But it’s impressive to know someone could do this themselves
Amazing work! Thanks for sharing!!! Do not answer trolls and do not waste time. Focus on building even better conversion kits. I am driving electric for 8 years. Will never go back to petrol 😊.
Dafuq? You not only converted the car to electric power. You did a whole conversion of everything... I am really blown away, what a HUGE piece of work. Awesome, man, you should be very proud of you...
What a humble guy! I can see him saying in a future video "Yeah, this is my time displacement machine. It works ok. Not the fanciest but it gets me to and from the bronze-age..."
Whats the total cost of all Parts? How much time dies it took you to build?
lol right
@@kirschkern8260 he said $25k ua-cam.com/video/IKR8Or6Im6w/v-deo.html
*Uncle Rico has entered the chat*
"i could only make 1000years jump, but after i got that exotic matter bearings i could make the million years jumps"
The fact that you built this yourself, in 2008, when there was virtually nothing to go off of, is incredible, and you did such a clean job.
Stay in school, kids.
The original iPhone just came out the year before and he builds this..... AMAZING
Imagine trying to watch youtube 'how to' videos in 360p on dial up... Man must have solid patience
Forklifts mate electric forklifts was around for yrs buddy. He got idea from them
@@christopherbrown2224 ok? but it still is impressive?
Brilliant video. That was really cool to see.
Woah, a random jerryrig has appeared
Very brilliant video ...
Damn! now I get the reason for random recommendations
I think we will see an electric tacoma soon!
And then a teardown xD
Some of y’all don’t get how hard this is to pull off. EV conversions are insanely involved and nothing to scoff at, and this guy did it in 2008 when there was absolutely zero resources on how to do anything like this. What a legend
yup, beautifully too
Absolutly zero ressources?
EV are almost as old as thermic car... And there were some car makers who made some EV during the 70's, 80's.... EV did not started with Tesla.
@@rigoloweb4762 Zero resources as in do-it-yourself guides and off-the-shelf kits. Nobody is trying to deny EVs didn't exist but conversions only became trendy from 2010 onwards which means this guy had to figure a lot of things out himself which as a result likely means he is more knowledgable than average EV converter today.
@@rigoloweb4762 don't forget this guy did it during 08 recession too
No we get it... We see him pulling panels back and showing more electronics.. and the fact that he has to operate a control panel to use AC..
*opens glove box* More cells
*Opens center console* More cells
*Lifts sun visor* More cells
*Cuts open tires* More cells
*Shifts seats back* More cells
Don't forget his pocket cells.
There are some cells in the VW logo too
Lmao! Hmm I Hardly noticed them
*Opens skull* More (brain) cells
Well everthing in the world is made from cells "___"
i am an Iraqi man, i just imagine driving this car in Baghdad with all these electrical componenets, it will be really hard to prove its not a carbomb.
Hahahaa
hahahahhaha i laughed so hard i spit my macaroni
Shit, it crossed my mind too
iKingRPG im an iranian and baghdad is not in Iran, maybe during the persian kingdom but not in our time.
😂
"this is the inverter that i built" i love this guy already.
Whats the total cost of all Parts? How much time dies it took you to build?
@@kirschkern8260 $25K, it is in first minute of video, why don't you just watch it...
Keep in mind $25k was 10 years ago. So many advancements have come with EV parts and suppliers and with the model 3 becoming so popular once everyone quits picking the wrecked ones of parts and batteries you can do this way cheaper. If you're looking for a normal EV car that isn't real sporty you can pick up wrecked E bike not E bicycles but street bikes and convert them to what ever you want. The hardest part is getting the motor to mate the the drive line or transmission but if you can take decent measurements you can have these parts CNC machined fairly cheap now.
I recently bought a model 3 for my wife and had never driven one before. I am a tech guy and thought that shit was magic. He did this ten years ago. Alas, I am just a state school guy.
@Zeksteve Disagree, the code isn't really that complicated, adequately designing an inverter for different ranges, EMI, and efficiency at high power is much more complicated
Nothing short of a genius. To understand all the electronics, the mechanicals and to actually be able to machine it into a solution is nothing less than amazing. WELL DONE!
Yeah I’m jealous, wish I was this damn good at something.
Its all about starting small and building off smaller projects and experience. Before you know it, you will be trouble shooting and building stuff you never thought previously you could.@@roelfkromhout
@@roelfkromhoutyou can. Start studying and doing
Especially back in 2008!!!!
And coding, using an Arduino
I have literally no idea what he's talking about at all but I'm still really impressed.
What he's saying is, you can't put a whole body in the trunk. You have to disassemble and put in for five different bags
Read the entire description it gets even better.
You and me both buddy
Makes 3 of us.
Me neither
You deserve a stand-up ovation!
"My EV conversion helped me land job at Tesla, where I was Sr. Staff Controls engineer in the Powertrain equipment engineering team, 2011-2018. I drove the car in to my interview, and gave a 30 min presentation on it. I consider it my rolling resume"
When did he says?
Awesome
@@victorterancas It's in the description of the video rather than the video itself
@@peterkinnaird5174 do you have a a book of the movie, of the TV show, of the video of your comment?
Not the answer for humanity. The combustion engine is still best and will be for decades to come. EV's are a fraud that will set the third world and developing countries 500 years. Dirty not reusable unreliable and just being used by Marxist politicians to overthrow the world. Fools you're not that smart
I'm an electrical engineer. This is absurd. I'm floored. Good work
Most engineers have 2 left hands, soooo... No wonder😁
@Mitch Jones Fragile ego Nope. What you are is a Random with a problematic sense of humor lol.
What is absurd? This is how it should be done. This is normal. Why are you so surprised?
@@voornaam3191 No, dude. Converting your own vehicle into an EV all by yourself (and a decade ago at that) is not "normal", and doing it correctly is even less "normal". I dunno what planet you live on, but on this one, most people are pretty clueless.
@@voornaam3191 using AC motor with DC batteries is absurd. This system is pointlessly complex and very wasteful.
It's impressive how much work was put into it and how impressive the end results are, but this NOT how it should be done.
Very impressive, especially given the fact that you did all this 10+ yrs. ago when even a company like Tesla barely started having reliable vehicles available. Probably one of the best Videos on youtube that I have seen that actually does something truly unique and useful!
He works at Tesla haha
Neat, but the reality is it's an old out dated vehicle that is stuck in a 100 mile bubble..
@@thedbcooperforumso?
@@Elisa9395-y4z And? what? who? when?
Tesla making reliable vehicles is a stretch but great comment apart from that
Let´s take a moment to appreciate the fact that he built a MANUAL gearbox electric car :O
Jukka L ten years ago too... insane
There much less intelligent people on here doing that but... ya pretty dang cool.
EXACTLY!!!!!!!! I was completely floored by it!!!! having futuristic technology and still be able to drive with a stick!!! where do i sign up, I want to order mine!!!!!
Right!? Im like, huh!?
@@biggerchris20 god. Barf. Lol👍
I’m an advanced DIY guy and this guy is in a different universe. This is ridiculously difficult to plan out and he did it in such an elegant way
his battery's can't last very long since I see no cooling on the battery's and he live in California which gets warm enough to cook the battery's off over time
@@raven4k998 loooks like he's got 90k miles in and pretty sure that thing aint stopping ANY time soon.
It's also crazy too see how much ev technology has changed
I think there's kits out there for conversion. Not sure if this video is from a kit, Don't this so.
@@uturniaphobic based on how old it is I am guessing his was diy but I could be wrong although his has the smell of being diy due to how hardcore it seems to be
"So let's take a look in my basement. Here's a large hadron collider I built last year. Haven't been using it much. But it works ok"
LOL good one
LoL
LOL
dude I'm cracking up...
@@Nashness same haha
This guys is the most down to earth mad scientist… I don’t understand half the words you said but all I can say is, brilliant work friend.
The most impressive thing is how every single thing works and how the packaging is absolutely maximized.
original heated seats doesn't work.
No, the most impressive is the budget put in a 20 YO Passat to reach an autonomy of 100 miles max.
The idea is really cool (I was really enthusiast when I clicked the video), the realization is nice, but the result is just okay.
@@C4H10N4O2 the build is 10 years old goofball.l. Look at a 10year old Tesla.
@@C4H10N4O2 In my opinion the realisation is stunning and the result is fantastic for a homebuild 10yrs ago. Each to their own however.
@@C4H10N4O2 this is a very old car, back then cars didnt really have the high range. this was all revolutionised by tesla. the car is even before this! the most impressive thing by far is that it has an AC and a heater.
I’m a fairly educated man, I do ok. This fella is something else.
Seriously this guy is a true to life Doc Brown. He has to be from the future
@@brandonpeeler257 1.21 gigawatts.
This man is literally everything I'm not. I have severe ADD and AT BEST average IQ. I can't even do the slightest tasks like going to the Home Depot next to my house to pick up some light bulbs to replace the dead ones in my house. It takes all my willpower just to do that. In fact I'm supposed to be at work at this very moment yet I honestly don't have the willpower to move and I'm 3 hours late. This man built A NEW CAR FROM AN OLD ONE. TALK ABOUT BRAIN POWER.
@@Revolution-bp2kj I was also like that... Now i am totally cool though..
@@Revolution-bp2kj do shambhavi mahamudra by isha foundation...
Things will be transformed
Saw a comment that said "VOLTSwagen" cleverest thing I've seen in a long time! well done!
I liked your comment solely for the fact that you were honest about not coming up with this joke yourself.
we need to see schematic for this voltswagon
I aspire for this level of genius and also the fact that he was so calm about everything he's done is mind blowing. You deserve some sort of award for this monster level of engineering.
Man feels like I am watching a human again on youtube, no screaming "HElo GuyS It'S yA bOi"
just a man explaining his work and what he thinks is cool
Thanks Satrio!
jus wait until u get recommended youtubers who does this with that type of energy lol
But is it a game changer, or insane, game over, we may never know!
"SMASH dat lllllIIKE button N SubSCRIBE bOI!!!!!!!!!!!" so annoying
And the hand gestures that go with the "HElo GuyS It'S yA bOi"
Finally, UA-cam algorithm recommends a video worth watching. Love this, hope to see much much more. Subbed!
I was just thinking this. ✔
To those mentioning Teslas X: there's several dozen engineers developing, aside various computers that worked along to put that system up, while this single man made everything by its own, make it suit nicely. This is what I call a man that knows his way throw problem solving. Very impressive job!
This guy works for Tesla. People like him are the reason Tesla is so successful.
@@CryptocurrencyInsider he doesn't work for them anymore or when you made that comment
Yep, he's retired.
amazing work for sure and to do it ten years ago. brilliant!
would be nice if he could have the clutch in that trans somehow though
@@CryptocurrencyInsider he was this guy who designed Tesla's to self ignite. Amazing design
Coolest electric I've seen. And the best part of it all? Manual transmission! Such a rare feature on these kinda things. Very inspiring. Awesome job. Can't wait for ur next one.
You could say he built a VOLTSWAGEN™
I like your comment. It fits. Hahaha
Hahahahahahahaha
Hahahahahaha hilarious
The little trademark too!
Take this like I got and get out!
Projects like this are what real engineering is!
I cant even imagine the time and skill that went into this!
@@Jaultaub so true
Are*
@@Jaultaub probably a few weeks once u have the parts and free time.
@@Darkest_matter And the knowledge ! It is a lot. I understand a lot of what these parts do, inverter, bms, etc...but he MADE those parts himself from scratch.
When he opened the trunk, I think we were all like: “damn”
J Smith lol
My eyes popped like 😳😳😳
my jaw was on the floor the entire time as he nonchalantly went through describing each component... On the floor the entire time... damn
It actually did😁
I thought he installed a WOPR mainframe computer in the trunk. (you'll have to reach deep to figure out this easter egg)
killer work, killer job. I love the less than "glamorous" touches like the rachet straps and kinda rusty angle iron, shows that this wasn't some youtube star making something with an unlimited budget for views. What an awesome machine
This guy is a genius. You can tell he understands everything that goes into his EV car. Nice video, and nice car. I am envious. Clean setup and very well done.
Ocean Explorer He’s not selling anything chief. Get some perspective 👍
@Ocean Explorer Yes, Tesla Model 3 is 30k I think so 25k conversion isn't worth it...
Not good engineering. Design is awful and performance is poor
@@kanal2123a I mean its 10 years old... Prices may have dropped significantly by now..
@@MarioSantana1335 I just said that conversion 25k conversion is too expensive...
At the beginning of the video was like hey maybe I should turn my car into an EV and then at the end of the video I was like I'm just going to save up and get a Tesla
hahaaha
Yeah, very few people are capable of doing this kind of build. You would have to be an electrical engineer with actual practical building skills.
He does not need tesla if he can build one himself...
@@MartinLV. woosh
Now the conversion kits are much easier to fit........ You can but the whole kit from one Chinese supplier....... Also the cost has drastically come down !
WOW - i first saw this car being put together went i was in college - now 8 years of engineering experience later - its still a fantastic labor of love
That’s a massive resistor and a lot of fuses this is an impressive build
Nobody:
Suburban Elon Musk: “this is my VOLTSwagon”
Best comment!
Brilliant comment
Volt-Swagon
Bro...... Epic! I own a customizing business. I'll do your "Volt shwag"in :)
I dont think Elon Musk has ever built a single EV himself...
Last line in the description: “I also did a Mazda Rotary engine & 5 speed in my MG Midget, and a Subaru flat 6 engine in my Porsche 914.” Wow this guy is familiar with his engine swaps! I love that mindset, not doing something because it’s easy to do or necessarily the best option, but to learn a lot and have something unique to be proud of. Mechatronics engineering sounds like a really cool degree.
THIS is engineering. So cool to see something like this showcased. I wish there were more people like you.
I've always wanted a vehicle that only drives 100 miles and is out dated..sign me up..
Imagine if a cop ever pulls him over and asks him to open the trunk.
Probably the cop would just begs for his life and existence
"are you making meth in there?"
@@mika2666 "no cocaine and electricity"
He probably says it generates 1.21 Gigawatts
Yeah and...?
Being a power generation electrician and do maintenance and VFD work, I'm impressed. I work with a lot of the parts you use in your car and they all come from different uses in the industrial field.
Awesome job adapting them to work together!!
I've been working on cars my whole life. I've seen all kinds of shit and I have a keen eye for detail. What you did here is very impressive
Come on Mr. Lucas!... lose the expletive and use an adjective the more accurately descibes the magnitude of this man's achievement!
@@hairlessmonkeyproductions7784 no
Yes, i'm really far from both mechanics and electronic in lots of things (computers, cars i forget things all the time) but i *SEE* and *HEAR* it in the guy's speech and car, it's built to last, it's not expensive, nor cheap and that it's not super fancy, yet doesn't hold on blue tape and chewing gum, and that's what i can respect whole-heartedly. I could also tell all this after processing it a few minutes per element as well, hahahah, *very* interesting car and video that's for sure.
You can't bash on the guy trying to go green the *most* awesome way
This dude is the most straight-forward, humble dude. In his next video I'm sure we'll hear:
"Turns out Doc was wrong. I was able to achieve get back with far less than 1.21 gigawatts"
This leaves me speechless! How much konwledge you must have to do such an amazing job! And so clean of an installation too!
Speechless...
More videos on your experience would surely be appreciated!
Keep it up!
in the description it says that building this car landed him a job at tesla way back, and he is already retired.
Thank you for pointing that out.
I gess not many can give a presentation about their own EV built as a job interview.
A 500 hours job is no hack job.
EV conversion from scratch, followed by the DMV inspection, 10 years and 90k miles of good working order is no hack job neither.
There was a lot of attention to detail put into this IMHO.
J Smith, where’s the EV you built? You know, the one that is better than this “hack” job... Mind you, he also built this 10yrs ago...
Man as an electrical engineer, I’m amazed how you used so much off the shelf items to make this work. Very impressive!
Stuff like this really interests me seeing what a smart person with internet access can design, acquire off the shelf parts for and implement. I'll bet with the progression in 3d printing and the like, you could recase a lot of the components to make it a little sleeker too, but you can't knock the performance and ingenuity
Honestly, this is epitome of engineering. Clobbering parts together to give rise to a viable system. Amazing…
Only thing that worries me is an automotive accident.
@@00Tenrai00 battery acid all over the place after a collision.
Not like he was building a sub 😂
Wife: great, now I need a degree in electrical engineering to drive your car.
Lol
HAHAHAHHAAHA
The technicalities is very good. The details of physics as well as energy harnessing, maintenance is superior, since it can last for many years. Congratulations.
The amazing thing is converting to electric still made the electrical system simpler than what VW originally designed.
You picked the perfect chassis to build this on. The b5/.5 is extremely reliable the interior will go to 400k and still look clean inside. And the frames don’t rust out Bc they are alloy
I am positive that's not a coincidence...
It’s extremely reliable once you remove the gas engine.
fantastic info
@@vee6411 I am pretty sure the B5 Passat was also shipped with 1.9 TDI which are widely regarded as one of the most reliable engines ever made. Not saying the electric motors did not improve the car , but I have heard of 1.9tdi going over 1Million km and have seen a lot sitting at over 500.000km personally
@@TheMasterMief Yes, you are right. I was more or less making a joke which is why I said gas engine.
But you see, German engines are not too bad mechanically. Although some are plagued with oil leaks, coolant pipe leaks etc but nothing catastrophic usually. Those are more just design flaws and minor inconveniences. However, the thing that makes modern German engines a hit or miss in terms of reliability is all the complex electronics. When engine computers fail, it doesn’t matter how good the hardware is. I’m sure plenty of modern engine hardware can do 1 million but its electrical issues that prevent it from doing so.
On top of the electrical engineering know-how, I'm impressed by the quality of the build itself, thoughtful layout of the components in the trunk, and features for the driver. Neat and tidy. My EE dad would also be mighty impressed.
A perfectionist I'd say
He was/is part of designing Tesla's powertrain components, which isn't a surprise.
@@rkan2 really? That explains a lot
@@SirDella yep
he mentions it in the description
- My EV conversion helped me land job at Tesla, where I was Sr. Staff Controls engineer in the Powertrain equipment engineering team, 2011-2018. I drove the car in to my interview, and gave a 30 min presentation on it. I consider it my rolling resume.
@@BenCos2018 Oh I thought he got a job at tesla, got experience and then built the car
That's even more impressive, a rolling resume haha it's a great introduction
Man He popped the hood and I was like dang! That car runs on legos!
Can’t stop laughing at your comment
🤣
ha ha hah cant stop[
🤣🤣👍
“This is the inverter that I built”😎👍. I was proud of putting a decal on my car and it wasn’t crooked 😂. Great video! It was very interesting to watch
This video really shows a lot of years of knowledge this gentleman has learned and then applied to something he can use, enjoy, and share. Thank you!
man it's awesome to see what ev conversions looked like in 2008, nowadays it would require so much less to do the conversion, it would be much cheaper and easier too.
definitely an early adopter kind of investment and an interesting car, hope to see it on the road with my own eyes someday
Bro you should have invented Tesla or work with electrical engineerings
@@alexisgarcia4111 I rather make cheese
This is WAY more advanced than most DIY electric vehicle conversions even in 2008. There were people in the late 2000's still using series brushed DC motors and lead acid batteries. This guy even has an inverter for air conditioning, something I haven't seen before in DIY EVs, though I'm not that well read on the history of DIY EV culture.
How exactly would you go about doing something like this nowadays? Or at least where could I get the information to do something like this nowadays
Honestly, admirable. Cheese is just as important in my mind
You’re a badass. I felt like I was watching the most perfect video resume. You caught so many of the design challenges in epic and complementary ways. Really great stuff. You’re fantastic.
That's an insane build. Even more impressive was that it was done 11 years ago
What a humble man! How come I never heard about this EV before.
Whats the total cost of all Parts? How much time dies it took you to build?
He made it...
@@toxy3580 that's the point
I want to work with this guy.
@@jaronfoo3106 it's still an EV.... Heck even a boosted board is an EV, it doesn't matter who made it, it's still an electric vehicle...
You are an incredible engineer. This is amazing, you've really turned this thing inside out and you did it so cleanly. 90k miles and 10 years on DIY modifications is seriously impressive.
One of the best video's ever on a home build home designed EV. Incredible engineering that sets a lot of standards. Great work.
The engineering you put into this is very impressive very well done sir.
I appreciate the detailed and relaxed demeanor in this video.
Here I am having never even heard of Mechatronic engineering. This is a valuable video from a smart guy.
I'm speechless. That's absolutely amazing. I was proud to install remote central locking and heated seats, and then I saw this hehe.
Never realised it was such a complicated process, this was fascinating.
i think this guy is just slightly smarter then the average bear.
lol. A little bit
🤔
There's a distinct possibility.
Don't downplay yourself. Anyone can do just about anything with enough money and research.
Ram-n_dodge ???? Making EV cars is easy it’s just the coding that’s hard .
Glad I clicked on this video. Even though it's old now it was very impressive! That thing should be in a museum somewhere.
Greatest own build ever of an electric vehicle, every thing you explain seams ages of work and you make it look so simple. A lot of time invested in this car! Great work!
UA-cam recommendation bought me here, see you in 10 years!
brought*
What an amazing amount of knowledge put to practical use. Bumper to bumper impressive.
This is absolutely unbelievable, when he opened the boot I thought it'd be a complete mess of wires but it looks so professional.
You are a master. Most every conversion I watch is older vehicles and they cut out a lot of the cars' conveniences. That's easy. You converted a modern car including regen and it appears you have everything hooked up and/or retrofitted to electric, including your heated seats! This is just amazing.
Wow this was one of the best videos I have watched on UA-cam. The amount of engineering, time, sweat and blood that went into this is totally out of this world. Congratulations on this one my man! All that hard work paid off
Mind blowing how you've been so advanced with the technology in this vehicle,obviously seriously clever chap
Truly impressive! I was thinking about doing a conversion and this video stopped me right on the spot, making me realize that it's way over my head.
Not anymore. Companies sell parts specifically optimized for cars now. What this man did with items off the shelf items is incredible.
Switching from the vector control to encoder-on-a shaft RPM control is something I could never imagine to hear on the DIY automobile channel, but here it is.. Also, that terminal strip with the individual cell voltage monitoring possibility is pure brilliance.
As soon as he said he manual swapped it he instantly earned my respect
Very smart move for longevity
@@kenball1980 smartest move for an ev would be to not use a gearbox at all since the electric motor doesn't need it
Respect +
Famus 801 it’s not hard at all
Lucian Iștoc still there must be a gearing ratio because of different speeds and following in-/efficiency so you would need a converter of some sort. For him it was probably easier to just use the already existing clutch.
OK. Tearing up my MSc in Electrical Engineering diploma right after watching this.
snorting my coffee on that one
It's about PLANNING and doing things in STAGES. It's not like he put it together in 5 days using a kit ordered with cereal box UPC labels.
Don't mean to be rude but you really believed college is actually necessary beyond the diploma being legally required?
Jonathan Garzon. This is one of the things that actually shits me about society. How smart you are has nothing to do with formal education, it’s about how you apply common sense and spend time learning yourself.
In my job I actually do some quite complex stuff that “technically” your supposed to have a degree to do. I’ve also had to tell “proper” engineers how to design stuff bearing in mind the price and availability of the items in question. So many of them in my area of expertise will design XYZ and only X is actually available so most of the parts they need aren’t even on the shelf and the whole thing needs to be redesigned. Which I do with my real world experience.
Then you have the installers who are supposed to be qualified and don’t even know how to read instructions properly and you end up having to bail them out of their fuckups.
I only have a year 10 education (didn’t even graduate from college) but I have over 15 years experience in the same job. In my experience a person who is willing to learn and put in the hard yards is worth far more to a company than a person with a degree and no real world experience. Too bad employers never see it that way!
Cool story David
UA-cam randomly sent me here... That's an amazing accomplishment! I'm so glad I watched your video.
You, Sir, are one hell of a brilliant engineer. Thank you so much for the tour of your amazing vehicle.
I was thinking about doing something like this. I’m gonna find another project. Maybe gardening.
😂😂😅
Wow, very impressive! Best EV conversion presentation I've seen. This guy is genius. Probably an electrical/mechanical engineer.
Dude, just found your channel and build. Your skills are legendary - thank you so much for sharing. Based on what I see people doing today the builds look less complicated but yours has been running for 10 years so props to you.
“And under here, more battery.” Haha loved it.
Truly an impressive amount of electrical knowledge put into this car.
I remember watching the intro to this build back in the day!! That siemens AC motor was cheap at the time, and because of the output flange were deamed unusable. When you came up with the taper lock flange, you blew alot of people's mind. Awesome build my friend. Glad to see it's still up and running well.
6:52 when you're pulling off the trim piece, I expected you to say "under here are more cells", lo and behold...
This is awesome. Having the knowedge to not necessarily know everything about anything you want to build, but to know enough and where to find the knowledge or who to ask for it, is super cool. I'd guess that sourcing parts was probably the most difficult part for him on this project.
Wow this is impressive. I remember so many half-assed EV conversions from back then, I would bet very few are still on the road - if they ever got there in the first place. This one looks like it could do another decade of commuting easy.
What a brilliant vlog from such a humble guy! You are obviously an engineer and a genius at that. All the best 👍
Did everything so well, you r a genius..
He must also be an engineer!
Looks like this gentleman ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING versus MOST other youtubers who goof and mug endlessly about something that OTHERS did and claim to be doing something.
Also; thank you, thank you, THANK YOU; for NOT making your presentation ALL ABOUT YOUR FACE like so many, many other "creators" who use the "Classic 2008 narcissistic Volgger Style".
THAT THING IS INCREDIBLE!!!
I can't believe it's already been 10 years since you've done the conversion, when you posted the original video, between you and Gavin EV I was determined to create my own EV. I was never able to make it happen.
Yea, Gavin's videos were great, I remember watching those as well, brings me back!
@@etischer Hey Eric, good to see your conversion and the CALBs are going strong after 10 years. If you're still at the car company, I'm guessing you're also a customer by now ;-)
This is the type of guy I'll be looking for in a zombie apocalypse
Lol if he let's you in.
joecugo no but his ingenuity will
Every survival group needs a Glenn, just for the quota 😂
@@berke2706 i think you mean Eugene. Or idk... i havent watched it in a long time lol
Electricians will be in short supply.
Not only is this an amazing job but the cable management is clean.
There's more cells in the glove box😆 imagine if you had the Passat wagon
seeing that as Passat- wagon- loving- german I think this is a great build. Old but its done some miles. The limosine " shelf" in the trunk makes for a great way of installing all the EV- components. A Passat wagon wouldnt have that much more usable space...
Yeah some where to put the wife .
So many many small things were done, labor of love. You're the MAN.
His neighbor: *spends 100K on a Tesla Model X
This guy with his EV Passat: _Hold my charging cable_
lol right
But there's a lot value in writing a check, driving away, and never having to even think how it all works.
EV conversions are a lot easier to do today. There are kits for DIYers, and numerous companies across the country that will do it for you.
He made this in 2009 way before the model X came out
Me with my diesel Passat: Hold my fuel mileage
A base model Tesla x is much faster, larger, and the range is a lot higher. You get to feel very comfortable in it with almost no outside noise. It’s better in virtually every way. If I had the money I’d rather buy the Tesla. 100 miles of range just isn’t enough for me. But it’s impressive to know someone could do this themselves
Amazing work! Thanks for sharing!!! Do not answer trolls and do not waste time. Focus on building even better conversion kits. I am driving electric for 8 years. Will never go back to petrol 😊.
VW should make an electric passat and name a color or something after this guy
He derseves it
And a free passat for him
Fucking genius..
check out the "ID Space Vizzion" prototype. That thing will be the electric successor for the Passat, probably called the ID.6
They do make passat gte, well at least in Europe
Ones of the best conversion I have ever seen! So much time you must have spent to develop, install and improve an immaculate setup. Well done!
As an electrical engineer I'm impressed. That's a lot of work and gives a good example of the systems going into production EVs now.
GM is shutting down EV production..
Source?@@thedbcooperforum
This is quite amazing. The amount of disciplines that you have to understand to bring this project together is quite high.
The algorithm sometimes doesn't disappoint.
Great video, as comments below, this is refreshing to say the least.
Dafuq? You not only converted the car to electric power. You did a whole conversion of everything... I am really blown away, what a HUGE piece of work. Awesome, man, you should be very proud of you...