Audi A4 Avant (B8) 2009 Potential conversion. UK car.

Nile_Griffith said:

Hi Kids!! New member so if this question is in the wrong place I apologise. So my trusty, faithful, possibly the best car in real terms that I've ever owned (and I've had a few) Audi A4 Avant at 280,000 miles has come to the end of its working life. Or should I say that it's 2.0 litre Tdi engine has. In all other area's the car is in excellent condition for it's age and mileage (particularly bodywork and interior). So there is a bit of me who really rails against the idea of binning the car completely just because the engine has done its job. OK I could drop a replacement TDi engine into it and off I go, but that seems ecologically unsound, but consigning the rest of the car to the parts breakers smacks of sheer waste and in my book that's our real global issue, waste. Unsustainable global emissions are a bi-product of our love affair with creating waste, cut the waste, cut the emissions. So how does someone who is reasonably competent with the spanners and electrically savvy, rejuvenate a fairly standard "Euro Box" into something that's going to pay it's way for another thirteen years? So this isn't me looking at creating a "vanity" project or indulging my technical curiosity (I have a day job that serves that need quite well). But an interest in maybe showing the world that just maybe, there's another route to helping fix the problem. So given's. Range is going to be the kicker. The body of the A4 (B8) wasn't designed and configured for battery cells in the floor. I would also say that other than using the space within the spare wheel well, utilising any of the existing boot load space is off the list of possible battery locations, so achieving a useable working range is going to be tough considering that most of the battery array needs to be within the engine compartment. As said this isn't a vanity project. The vehicle still has to function as a family car. Performance. The 2.0 TDi engine is a strong puller although probably not the quickest off the mark. Tesla beating top speed is a non-requirement, particularly with the proliferation of speed camera's that we have on UK roads. However, it would be desirable to have a range of performance comparable with normal driving (including motorway driving), both in terms of single occupancy, driver only and when carrying passengers. So kids, what are your thoughts? My guess is that the current reality means that the common sense outcome would be to wish the old girl a fond farewell and try not to think on the fact that the pick of her constituent parts will be occupying the listings on eBay for the next twelve months. My thanks in advance. Nile

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