1967 VW Squareback conversion

The now fully-electric VW Squareback

There's something deeply endearing about the Volkswagen Type 3 Squareback. Introduced in the early 1960s as a more practical companion to the iconic Beetle, the Squareback brought a clever, flat "pancake" engine layout that freed up storage space at both ends of the car — a design philosophy so ahead of its time it almost sounds like it was built for electrification. Its boxy, purposeful lines and compact footprint have made it a quiet favorite among classic car enthusiasts for decades. So when a 1967 Squareback arrived at our shop mid-conversion, we were genuinely excited to get our hands on it — and equally committed to making sure it got the finish it deserved.

How It Came to Us
This particular Squareback had a history before it reached EV Works. The owner had previously engaged another shop to carry out the conversion in 2012, and partway through the build, that project stalled and was handed off to us. Inheriting a partially completed conversion is always a careful exercise — you're working with decisions you didn't make, components you didn't spec, and workmanship you didn't supervise. In this case, a thorough inspection of the existing build made it clear that significant rework would be needed before we could confidently move forward. Rather than build on a shaky foundation, we made the call to do the job properly from the ground up.

The high-voltage battery pack in the unsafe form it originally arrived in



The Squareback on day one at our shop

Safety First — A Full Rework
The most pressing priority was safety. The existing build lacked service disconnects and had no High Voltage Interlock Loop (HVIL) — two features we consider non-negotiable on any high-voltage vehicle. High-voltage wiring had been routed through un-grommeted holes in the chassis, causing wire chafing, which in turn created potential arc points. A single BMS was mounted in the vehicle's cabin — requiring HV sense wiring to be run through the passenger compartment. None of this met the standard we hold ourselves to, and more importantly, none of it was acceptable for a vehicle that would be driven on public roads.
We shifted the to a dual Orion BMS 2 system, allowing us to relocate the setup into the battery enclosures themselves — where they belong — removing all high-voltage sense wiring from the cabin entirely. Proper grommets and strain relief were installed throughout, service disconnects were added to both packs, and a full HVIL circuit was implemented to ensure the system cannot be energized with the packs open or improperly secured. The result is a vehicle that meets the same safety expectations we hold for any conversion that leaves our shop.

Re-working the battery pack internals for safe functionality and serviceability

The Battery System
The Squareback runs a 32.9 kWh pack built from 61 Voltronix V-LYP180Ah prismatic cells in a 61s1p configuration, operating between 170V and 244V with a nominal voltage of 195V. With an 80% depth of discharge, usable capacity sits at 26.3 kWh. We found this to provide an estimated 65 miles of real-world range — which is not bad for 14 year old battery tech that's been sitting unmaintained for over a decade. The pack is split front and rear to take advantage of the Squareback's natural storage architecture, and each sub-pack is housed in a purpose-built enclosure with the BMS integrated internally. Cell voltage and temperature monitoring, along with all shutdown and safety functions, are handled by the Orion BMS 2.

The battery pack in the vehicles trunk

Powertrain & Charging
Power delivery is handled by a Kostov 9" Alpha DC motor paired with an Evnetics Soliton Jr 600A controller — a capable and proven combination for a vehicle of this size and weight. One of the more interesting challenges with this build was tuning the complete system without the benefit of a modern Vehicle Control Unit. Getting a DC motor setup to behave predictably and feel refined in daily driving (without a VCU to orchestrate it all) required careful calibration work and a good understanding of the Soliton's configuration, but the end result is a drivetrain that responds smoothly and intuitively.
For charging, the Squareback uses an Eltek 2411 onboard charger for the high-voltage pack. Charging access is through a standard J1772 port, keeping things compatible with the vast majority of public and home charging infrastructure.

Finishing Touches
With the mechanical and electrical systems properly sorted, we turned our attention to the driver experience. A custom dashboard was designed and installed to give the owner clean, useful at-a-glance information without compromising the classic character of the interior. The goal throughout was to make this Squareback feel like a finished, cohesive vehicle — not a project — and we're proud to say it drives exactly that way.

The perfect weekend cruiser

The Right Way to Finish What Was Started
This project is a good example of something we encounter from time to time: a conversion that was started with good intentions but needed a more experienced hand to bring it home safely and properly. We have deep respect for anyone who takes on the challenge of electrifying a classic vehicle — it's not easy work — but we also believe that when it comes to high-voltage systems in a car you're going to drive, there's no room for shortcuts. This Squareback deserved better, and its owner deserved the peace of mind that comes with knowing it was built right.

If you have an in-progress conversion that needs to be finished, a completed conversion that doesn't feel quite right, or a classic you'd like to see given a proper electric life, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out through our contact page and let's talk about what it takes to do it right.