Regarding converting a bus to electric..

I saw a converted Vanagon last year at a Solar / Electric Exposition in Ukiah, 
California. The company that did the conversion was Mendo Motive also of Ca.
It had a standard issue DC Advance Co electric motor bolted to the transaxle.
They built a subfloor to keep the batteries low. 
A local (Seattle) bug restorer also converts bugs to electric. He told me he 
wanted to do a bus because it would be easier and the performance should be 
similar to the gas bus.
I purchased my '69 single cab with the thought of possibly converting it to 
electric one day in the future ( I am currently converting an Escort). This 
project could be done without removing any internal combustion related 
components, except the motor of course. What would be really spiffy would be to 
have the electric and gas motors in parallel.

Good Luck  

 Bill Duff