1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Electric

‘AMJ 373F’ is so much more than your average left-hand-drive, ex-California, UK-restored VW Karmann Ghia.

Because it’ll now hit 60mph in seven seconds thanks to its 90bhp HyPer9 motor and Tesla batteries, which means this electric Karmann Ghia betters the factory figures by a whopping fifteen seconds thanks to 30bhp more power.

Converted in 2023 here in the UK by Electric Car Converts using an EV West kit imported from America, the owner has discovered that the 26.5kWh battery gives a range of 120 miles. The website is more conservative, estimating the range to be between ninety and one hundred miles. Both agree it can be fully charged in four hours thanks to 7kW AC charging.

And the story gets even better when you learn that the conversion builds on a full restoration that was carried out four years ago that included new door skins and a full respray.

The choice of using a 1968-model as the basis for the project was inspired as that year’s cars benefit from the mechanical upgrades that were introduced in 1967 including a 12-volt electrical system, front disc brakes, and independent rear suspension.

The 1968MY cars also retain the earlier model’s classic styling elements such as ‘Marquise’ rear lights, bullet front indications, and slimmer bumpers. This one has also still got its original tombstone vinyl seats with the integrated headrests, something the seller believes is unique to this model year.

As a result, it’s something of a Goldilocks car boasting 21st century EV engineering underneath iconic styling making this a classic you can drive with a completely clear conscience.

The VW came to the UK in 2007 as a project and it ticked along racking up very few miles over the years while it waited for its turn to come. But, come it did.

Repainted in 2020 by Buddy’s Paint Shack, the combination of the still-fresh silver coachwork, modified stance, and Minilite-style alloy wheels makes for an arresting sight even before you take in the mechanical modifications.

(Which would be hard to do without poking around as the only real giveaway, apart from the sticker in the rear window, is the charging point and that’s been neatly tucked away under the flap where the fuel filler cap used to be.)

As you can see in the numerous photos, it’s still in great shape. The seller tells us the previous owner was a perfectionist, sending it back to Buddy’s for another coat of lacquer because it didn’t feel it was quite shiny enough.

Of course, the chromework is excellent too being free of serious pitting and any obvious rust. The lamp lenses are also free of chips and cracks, and it goes without saying that the badges are glossy and bright.

By now you’ll have gathered that the 15-inch alloy wheels are both free of kerbing scrapes and other damage AND fitted with good tyres from the same manufacturer: Continental ContiEcoContact EP tyres on the front and Continental ContiEcoContact 3 on the rear.

All of which is good news unless you’re an inveterate fiddler, in which case the only thing for you to get your teeth into is to massage the bonnet into better alignment as it doesn’t sit quite right and is fretting on the offside leading edge. The driver’s door also sits proud on the bottom trailing edge.

You might also like to have the wheels refurbished as some have the odd spot of peeling lacquer.

The interior might be reassuringly standard – the only changes we can see are a neatly fitted gauge for battery charge and a big green warning light underneath it – but that’s not to say it was neglected in favour of the EV conversion.

For example, the tombstone vinyl seats have been refurbished and the door cards and dashboard are excellent; the impression is of a much-loved classic that’s been well curated over the years but refurbished when necessary.

To the owner’s credit he has left some of the patina with the original Sapphire VI radio in the centre of the dashboard (a modern Sony stereo is mounted underneath the dashboard and this plays through huge Pioneer speakers) and some light scuffs to places like the steering column shroud.

The rear seat looks like it’s still trimmed in the original vinyl, and the carpets and headlining are both good, albeit not perfect with the latter being clean and taut but having a small nick in it.

The VW retains its original 12-volt electrical system for things like the lights and controls, and it was completely renovated, including a new fuse board and wiring harness, at a cost of almost £2,000.

As for work to do, the base of the driver’s seat has softened, so you might like to get that seen to. It’s definitely a job for Future You rather than anything more urgent though.

We can do no better than to quote the mechanical specification listed for this very car on the website of the folk that built it:

Drivetrain:
• Specialist EV conversion motor, the Netgain Hyper9, mounted to an upgraded 4-speed manual gearbox.
• Original clutch and flywheel maintained, allowing for gear changes if desired.
• City/countryside driving uses 3rd gear exclusively, A-Road/motorway driving uses 4th gear, launches use 2nd gear.

Battery Pack:
• 26.5kWh of Tesla Model S batteries used, this consists of five modules.
• Two battery modules mounted in front (where the fuel tank was), three batteries mounted behind the rear seat, no batteries mounted in the rear.
• Batteries are wired in series, producing 120 volts nominal, they are water cooled and monitored using state of the art battery management systems.

Charging:
• Charging is possible from any EV charge point, as well as from a 3-pin plug at home.
• Standard AC charging allows for a 4-hour full charge.
• Charging from a 3-pin plug allows for a 10-hour full charge.

Further Information:
• Regenerative braking input controlled by brake pedal.
• Better weight distribution than original, improving all aspects of handling.
• Fuel gauge swapped for custom made state of charge meter, replicating the original design.
• Fully reversible powertrain design.

We aren’t EV experts here and while we’re happy to lean on the folk who installed it to tell us what’s been fitted, we are competent enough to recognise a high-quality installation when we see one.

The owner also tells us that: “After the installation the car received upgrades to the suspension with a brand-new front beam, roll bar and gas shocks, all supplied and fitted by Karmann Ghia specialist California Classic. It also checked out the whole drivetrain installation, including the rear, which has had a specially built GAZ coilovers fitted to complement the existing IRS suspension and provide stable handling and ride height.”

He also gives the following advice on how to drive it:

“You don’t need to use the clutch to pull away. Just use the clutch to select the gear when stationary then release the clutch and go back to the throttle when you pull away. there is no need to engage the clutch when you stop as the motor stops when you come off the accellarator jus like a normal electric car. It has a standard VW box, albeit one built to high-performance specification to handle the extra torque, so reverse is down and back to the left. The best forward gear is third, which is up and to the right, for motorways slip it into 4th.. The uprated gearbox, which cost £4,500 in addition to the £29,500 for the EV conversion, means that pulling away in third gear isn’t an issue.

“It has a good level of braking regeneration when you lift the throttle as I asked Electric Car Converts to up the regen by 45% when it checked the car over last month.

“As you get proficient you can use the clutch for finer slow speed manoeuvres. Just remember that the electric motor revs higher than the petrol engine, and with no rev counter careful modulation of the throttle is needed.”

The seller also mentioned that it has been checked only recently by Electric Car Converts and given a clean bill of health following “two years of trouble-free use”. The batteries were found to still be at 100% and they’re charged using a 13-amp plug via a type 2 lead plugged into a custom socket located behind the fuel filler flap.”

(Electric Car Converts can be found at: https://www.electriccarconverts.com/our-conversions/volkswagen/)

The VW’s MoT certificate, which is valid until July 2025, was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and because the MoT station that last tested it input the change of motive power to electric, the seller thinks the next V5 will reflect show it is an EV-powered Historic Vehicle.

The history file also contains all the invoices for the recent work the seller had carried out, plus many more from previous years. Not that you care about the older ones because just about everything was replaced or upgraded as part of the EV conversion anyway.

Our estimate for this unique electrically powered classic is between £25,000 and £30,000, which, at the lower end of the range, is less than the base price of converting your existing Karmann Ghia.

Buy this one and you could also dodge the waiting list AND benefit from someone else having performed the shakedown for you.

And it’s not like your risking cutting corners because the seller has done a proper job, splashing out £4,500 extra for the race-spec gearbox plus even more for the suspension upgrade.

All of which means this is a classic car you can buy with your heart and your head – and you’ll be able to keep your eco-credentials intact.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.