Electric Dreams Converting Classic Cars into Electric Vehicles
A brief guide to electric conversions for classic cars
Getty Images | Aurich Lawson
Earth Day is April 22, and its usual messagetake care of our planethas been given added urgency by the challenges highlighted in the latest IPCC report. This year, Ars is taking a look at the technologies we normally cover, from cars to chipmaking, and finding out how we can boost their sustainability and minimize their climate impact.
The term "restomod" first started gaining traction back in the 1990s. As muscle car enthusiasts searched for ways to improve the performance and reliability of their vintage machines, a cottage industry of folks adapting late-model powertrain and chassis components soon began to emerge. Today, you'd be hard-pressed to find a restored late-'60s Mustang or Camaro on the road that hasn't been modified with some kind of modern techbe it a computer-controlled fuel injection system, an updated brake and suspension system, or even a modern V8 engine.
To some, that might be sacrilege. To others, it's simply about getting with the times.
Over the past decade or so, a similar trend in restomodding has begun to develop around electric vehicle technology, though the focus early on was less about melting tires and more about pragmatism and engineering curiosity.
"I got involved in restomodding back in 2009, and that was an odd time because it was on the heels of the recession," said Michael Bream of EV West, an EV conversion shop in San Marcos, California. "I'd read an article about the Roadster that Tesla was developing, and as a computer engineer and hot-rodder, I was kind of enamored with the technology involved. I wanted to see what was possible with electric performance."
"But while I was doing the research, I found myself getting a bit dissuaded," Bream told Ars. "I would call up these shops that were working with the tech wanting to talk about horsepower, continuous duty, and stuff like that, but all they wanted to talk about was how much money I was going to save by sticking it to OPEC. At the end of the day, nobody in performance is really worried about gas that's five or six dollars a gallon."
With EV development still amounting to a rounding error in most major automakers' budgets at the time, Bream also faced significant difficulty in finding components in the aftermarket, but he said the situation has changed significantly in the years since.
"Not only as far as what's available for the drivetrain and batteries, but also a lot of other things that builders in the early days just had to put up with. Back then there weren't well-developed systems to add power-assisted brakes, for instance," Bream said. "The solution was to put in a vacuum pump to mimic the way it would work with a combustion engine, and we similarly used belt-driven hydraulic pumps for the steering assistance. But now, because of cars like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt, and the EVs that Tesla is producing, purpose-built solutions [like electrically driven hydraulic pumps] have been developed at the OE [original equipment] level. That has helped to refine the EV experience a lot. It has also brought in higher-quality parts at lower costs, and that in turn has brought more affordability to the EV restomod market."
Ford built the F-100 Eluminator to show off its new Mustang Mach-E-derived electric crate motors.
Ford
And the OEMs are noticing. At last year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) showa massive convention for aftermarket performance suppliers that is held annually in Las VegasFord showed off the F-100 Eluminator concept, a one-off custom build that utilizes powertrain components from the automaker's Mustang Mach-E GT production EV in a vintage F-Series pickup. It's the latest entry in a succession of performance-focused EV builds from the automaker that include the all-electric Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 dragster and the Mach-E 1400 drift car prototypes.
"I think this is just the beginning," said Mark Wilson, Ford's vehicle personalization business operations manager. "If you look at the life cycle of ICE [internal combustion engine] products in the long term, there appears to be an end date on the horizona point at which they'll be phased out. And when that happens, it's only a matter of time before existing ICE products will become obsolete, so to speak."
"And for products where the engine isn't really the core focal point of the vehicle, that's going to take on greater importance, Wilson said. "This 1978 F-100 is a great example of thatthe truck itself is cool, but the inline six-cylinder engine that originally powered it is less so. So in a case like this, swapping over the powertrain is potentially less of a detriment to the value, nostalgia, and overall desirability of the vehicle."
And the Eluminator concept isn't just lip servicethe two electric traction motors that drive the F-100's front and rear wheels (which amount to a total system output of 480 horsepower and 634 lb.-ft. of torque) are now available for purchase by the general public through Ford Performance.
24 Firms that will convert your classic into an EV
24 Firms that will convert your classic into an EV
The classic-car electric-vehicle conversion trend is taking off big timehere's a roundup of who'll do them
Published Nov 02, 2023 Last updated Feb 12, 2024 15 minute read
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The number of companies out there willing to convert your classic car into an electric vehicle just keeps growing and growing, whether you agree with the practice or not. Just this month, iconic U.K. motorsports firm Alan Mann Racing announced it was getting into the game, launching an electrified 65 Mustang as its proof-of-concept.
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Proponents of electromods, as theyre sometimes called, boast that the switch to a drivetrain you can plug into an outlet helps future-proof the thing, and often offers improved performance numbers; detractors say the modifications remove the soul of the car and obliterate its history.
In any case, these conversions are happening, and weve covered them quite a bit over the past few years. Our first roundup of the companies behind these conversions cropped up 2019, and was followed by a Canada-specific list, then one of automakers getting in on the trend with their own custom one-offs.
But the rapid pace of new classic EV conversions has quickly rendered those articles out of date, so we thought wed put together one master list so you could better keep track of where to go if you want your Bronco battery-powered, or your E-Type electrified.
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Canadian classic EV conversion companies
North American Electric Vehicles (NAEV), Oliver, B.C. Porsche 356, AM General Hummer
We took a deep dive into this shop in April 2023, exploring their fantastic Porsche 356 EVs stuffed with 630-plus-hp Tesla-sourced motors. Proprietor Jeff Kotulak was inspired to go the electron route while restoring a 68 Porsche 911an engine rebuild was going to be super-costly and came with a too-long wait time, so he switched gears and went the plug-in route.
Other conversions include a 1991 AM General Hummer, and in the works was a 1948 Ford F1 pickup, 1967 Ford Mustang, and a 1964 Mercedes-Benz 230SL.
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Canadian Electric Vehicles (CanEV), Vancouver Island, B.C. Chevrolet S-10, Porsche 911, Chevrolet Camaro
Sure, the EV conversion trend has seen some explosive growth over the past five years, but CanEV was at it long before it was the fashionable thing to do. The EV parts, repair, conversion-kits, and conversion-services company one of the tops in North America got its start in 1995. It sees plenty of commercial business, but its iCanEV classic branch is what were more interested in, here.
CanEV will sell you complete kits to convert your Porsche 911 or 914 to electric power, as well as your Volkswagen Beetle or Land Rover Defender. Under its Conversion Portfolio page, though, youll mostly find Chevrolet S-10 pickups, trucks which lend themselves to conversion due to their light-weight-lots-of-cargo-space combo; as well as a one-off electric, uh, log.
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CanEVs also worked with B.C.-based EV parts supplier Webb Motorworks on a handful of wilder classic conversions, including a 1932 Ford, a 1957 Chevrolet, and a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro the two companies brought to SEMA in 2021.
Arc Motor Company, Peterborough, Ontario Ford Bronco
While no classic EV conversion is plug-and-play, theres a lot more clever engineering in Arc Motors EVs and specifically their Tesla-sourced battery modules than there likely is in similar restomods. The innovations wrought by sister-brother duo Sloane Paul and Tom Chep let the companys flagship Bronco conversion, for example, eke out about 320 km (200 miles) of range, and happily feed two HyPer 9 motors 260 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque.
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A classic Dodge Power Wagon is next on the docket, but Arc Motors will convert just about anything youd like for US$75,000. Preference goes to machines that havent yet been restoredbecause who wants to cut into fresh paint and new materials while fitting all those modules and motors?
EV Underground, Calgary, Alberta Shelby Daytona, Land Rover
When we contacted them in early 2022, David Lloyd and Jason Arnold of EV Underground were chipping away at their first two EV conversions: one, a Factory Five Type 65 Coupe replica of the Shelby Daytona; the other, a 2002 Land Rover. Its all Tesla drivetrain under the Daytona, tuned to about 300 or so horsepower, say the pair of mechanics. The newer, heftier Defender will have closer to 450 horsepower propelling it, and a battery range of about 300 km.
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Ingenext, Trois-Rivires, Quebec Pontiac GTO
Trois-Rivires, Quebec-based Ingenexts specialty is Tesla parts and upgradesamong the companys boasts is hacking the software on a Model S and modifying it so it could sail past the 320-km/h (200-mph) mark (and on to a top speed of 345 km/h [216 mph] in fact). When youre that experienced with all the components involved, making them work nicely in an older marque just comes that much easier.
Were not saying the conversion the firm helped Ness Custom Performance pull off on Pierre Michauds 1966 Pontiac GTO convertible was a cake-walk, just that it was probably less of a challenge for them than itd be for many other shops. If youre thinking of similarly stuffing some Tesla guts under the hood of your classic, Ingenext will sell you a conversion kit, but theyd surely offer some hands-on help if youre based in the La Belle Province as well.
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Electrameccanica, Vancouver, B.C. Porsche 356
When we drove Electrameccanicas 356 eRoadster in May 2018, we called it the official car of Vancouver. The formula behind it was simple: take the replica Porsches thatd been churned out by parent company Intermeccanica since the 70s and put a battery-driven powerplant underneath. Its math that made sense to Porsche fanatic Bill Gates, who we spied in 2019 behind the wheel of one of these things (with Warren Buffett riding shotgun, to boot).
Besides the Porsches, Electrameccanica also built a car of its own design, the Solo, for roughly five years; the model was discontinued in early 2023, at the same time the company launched a recall on the three-wheeler EV, but apparently a four-wheeled successor is in the cards.
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Classic-car EV conversion firms around the world
Everrati, U.K. Ford GT40, Land Rover, Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz
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One of the biggest names in EV conversions might just be the U.K.s Everrati, which has converted a tonne of different models and makes over the years. Among its first efforts was a W113-era Mercedes-Benz Pagoda SL conversion; then back in May 2021, it launched a line of 964-generation Porsche 911s with 500-hp EV motors. It followed that up in September 2021 with an electric Series IIa Land Rover Defender range, and in September 2023 with a Shore Tender Defender EV meant to be deployed from your mega-yacht. Its most recent announcement revolves around an RSR-inspired 911.
Oh! We cant neglect mentioning perhaps its wildest EV-swap joba Ford GT40. Not a real one, of course, but a replica based on the fantastic Superformance kit. An electric motor on each axle of the thing makes for 800 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, good for a four-second zero-to-100-km/h sprint, apparently. The prototype was finished early 2022, and Everratis taking orders now.
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Zelectric, California, U.S.A. Porsche 911 and 912, Volkswagen Beetle and Bus
It feels like many of the high-end conversions on this list cost some real big bucks, with several landing around the half-million-dollar mark. Well, Zelectric in California is happy to stuff Tesla guts in your old Porsche or Volkswagen for significantly lessjust US$100,000, per our August 2019 coverage of the company. At that time, Zelectric had just pulled off a Porsche 912 swap, making for an EV variant of the Stuttgart-built underdog with 550 electric horsepower.
Porsches look pretty, but Zelectric will tackle most any air-cooled VW-ish product of the 60s. Its converted everything from Karmann Ghias to Volkswagen Things to old Microbuses to Beetles to Porsche 356s and 911s and 912s.
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ECD Automotive Design, Florida, U.S.A. Land Rover Defender, Jaguar E-Type
When it comes to the absolute most incredible bespoke Land Rovers and Jaguars, its hard to top ECD Automotive Design, based in of all places Florida. The company started as East Coast Defenders (hence the initials) about 10 years ago and has since absolutely perfected the custom British motorcar (or at least examples from those two British marques mentioned above).
We took an in-depth tour of the ECD facilities in early 2024, and came away with this: its not a firm that does EV conversions, its a firm that will build you one of the best Defenders or E-Types money can buy, even if youd rather opt for battery power instead of the 650-horse GM V8 powerplants it also offers in its restomods. The customers that do check off electric on the order form get a refined British restomod with a lot of Tesla-derived bits underneath, good for about 320 horsepower and 240 to 320 km (150 to 200 miles) of range on a full charge.
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Charge Automotive, U.K. Ford Mustang
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While most of the series-production EV conversions on this list see runs of a few dozen cars at most, Charge Automotive in the U.K. is aiming to build some 499 examples of a car it calls The 67, based on brand-new steel 1967 Ford Mustang bodies.
We first wrote about it in late 2018, but the firm hasnt been sitting still since thenit gave its prototype a dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022, and your author saw the EV Mustang make a pass up the hill at Goodwood 2023, too. Peak power output is 400 kW, or about 530 horsepower, and the price tag is around US$450,000.
Garage Italia Customs, Italy Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto
Garage Italia Customs started getting into the EV conversion game just before the pandemic began, in 2019 though itd been toying with custom Italian icons before that and kicked things off with a new electrified take on the 500 Jolly beach buggy it called the Icon-E. Icon-E is now a whole line within the company, with the original Spiaggina now accompanied by electric Vespas, Fiat Pandas, and even The Graduate-style Alfa Romeo Duettos.
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Zero Labs Automotive, California, U.S.A. Ford Bronco, Land Rover
Bronco nostalgia is booming, a trend Zero Labs caught onto way back in spring 2019. Its take on an electrified 1966 Ford Bronc-a-donc heavily modifies the original chassis, slaps a facelifted carbon-fibre body on top, fits a five-speed manual to the driveline, and includes a vegan-materials upholstery option. Its initial plans were to build just 150 examples.
Since then its also expanded to offer EV conversions of the Land Rover Series III 109 wagonsounds like Zero wants to be the go-to spot for electric off-roaders.
Electrogenic, U.K. Rolls-Royce, Jaguar E-Type, Porsche, Volkswagen, Citroen
Yes, while most of the firms on this list are looking squarely at the 60s and 70s for their EV-conversion fodder, in September 2023, British outfit Electrogenic announced itd tackled the conversion of a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. It took the company 18 months to drop the 7.7-litre inline-six and swap in its 200-hp replacement, making no cuts or permanent mods so it could be all be reversed. A year prior, its big news was that itd developed a drop-in EV conversion kit for the classic Land Rover Defender.
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In the past, the companys also tried its hand at converting Jaguar E-Types, the Porsche 356C, a Daimler DS420, and a Morgan 4/4, as well as a Volkswagen Beetle, Karmann Ghia, and Type 2 Camper. Way back when, we highlighted a particularly unique 1971 Citron DS conversionElectrogenic called the new car a DS EV lectronique.
Voitures Extravert, the Netherlands Porsche 911
When we first covered Voitures Extravert, itd planned to keep its run of Porsche 911 conversions to about five cars. About a year later, in 2019, it said demand was so great, itd changed its objectives to instead build 36 such conversions per year. With prices starting at around the half-million-dollar mark, Voitures Extraverts Quintessenza model can be ordered in one of three trims: SE, which keeps a retro 60s look; TE, with more of an 80s vibe; and RS, a 308-hp performance trim that apes, well, a 70s 911 Carrera RS.
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The bodies are all-new metal and come from Germany, while the software and EV componentry are out of California, according to the Dutch company. Theres lots of original-style Porsche bits throughout, but the firms completely reconfigured the 911s suspension, updated the gauges, and added power steering.
Aviar Motors, Russia Ford Mustang
While recent political developments may have complicated this models development plans or availability, Aviar Motors website still says you can pre-order one of the 25 examples of its Aviar R that it plans to build, based on the 1967 Ford Mustang. Called the R67 when the company debuted the thing in mid-2020, the carbon-fibre-bodied handbuilt Stangs sit on the chassis and drivetrain of a Tesla Model S, and so boast over 840 horsepower. A countdown timer on the Aviar site suggests well see its next model, the Aviar C, in December 2023and it looks to be based on the second-generation Corvette.
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RBW Classic Electric Cars, U.K. MGB, Jaguar E-Type
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Waaay back in October 2018, we covered Britains RBW Classic and its planned run of 30 examples of its MGB/E, which we lauded for being built around new, not classic, chassis with fresh reproduction bodies supplied by British Motor Heritage. The MGB/E has today turned into the companys Roadster and GT lines, which also include a handful of modern updates; and its Retro range, which keeps things classic-looking.
In 2018, itd had designs on electrifying Jaguar XKSS and C-Type replicas; in 2023, it turns out its taking commissions on Jaguar E-Types instead.
Lunaz, U.K. Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin
In February 2023, Lunaz made headlines with what it said was the rarest car converted to an EV, a one-of-four 1961 Bentley S2 Continental bodied by James Young of London. Out went the 6.2-litre V8, in went 400 electrified ponies and 530 lb-ft of torque.
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Since then, its also converted a 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II once owned by Sophia Loren; past projects include a line of Land Rover Range Rovers, an Aston Martin DB6 or two, and its first conversion, a half-million-dollar 1953 Jaguar XK120 rocking 516 lb-ft.
BB Classic Cars, North Macedonia Zastava
The EV conversion craze has reached every corner of the globeeven enthusiasts in North Macedonia can get their battery-driven classic-car game on, if theyre okay settling with a Zastava 750 re-done by BB Classic Cars. The Zastava 750 was a Yugoslavian copy of the beloved Fiat 600, and the electrified ones restored by BB are capable of 130 km/h, speeds we wouldnt dare in an original.
Shift EV, Oregon, U.S.A. Rolls-Royce, Porsche 911, BMW 2002
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This U.S. firm may be a smaller outfit, but it made headlines in mid-2020 for converting to electric power an old Rolls-Royce formerly owned by Johnny Cash. The 1970 Silver Shadow got its new guts courtesy a 2016 Tesla Model S, a decision made by the Rolls owner after the original engine called it quits at 130,000 miles. Aside from The EV in Black, Shift has converted a handful of vintage Porsches, as well as a BMW 2002 and even a Robinson helicopter.
Alan Mann Racing, U.K. Ford Mustang
I know, I knowisnt there already a U.K.-converted classic Ford Mustang on this list? Yes, there is, and a Russian one, too, for that matter. Regardless, we suppose Alan Mann Racing figures theres room for competition in the niche, with the firm launching its own battery-driven 66 Stangs in late 2023.
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To be fair, Alan Mann Racing has been racing Mustangs since they were new, so it knows its way around a pony and isnt just cashing in on a trend necessarily. The eponymous racer Alan Mann passed away in 2012, so its his sons Henry and Tom running the business now and sticking 300 horsepower worth of electrons in these hardtops and fastbacks.
EV conversions approved by automakers
Well start by saying, yes, almost every automaker has tried its hand at doing an EV conversion on a classic car from its back catalog, though these are generally one-off efforts meant as styling exercises or SEMA showcases for new EV gear.
The latest such conversion may have been Nissans R32 GT-R swap, dubbed R32EV, but a comprehensive list would also include Chevrolets 1977 K5 Blazer, 1962 E-10 pickup, and the Project X 57 Chevy that that automaker collaborated with Hot Rod Magazine on, as well as Fords Eluminator all-electric 1978 F-100 from SEMA 2021, the Renault E-Plein Air 4L from 2019, the Hyundai Pony Electric concept, and the Opel Manta GSe ElektroMOD.
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What were focusing on here instead is series runs of EV conversions either considered or offered by automakers themselves, or at the very least endorsed by or done with the assistance of the automaker. Its a longer list than you might imagine, too.
Jaguar E-Type Zero
In May 2018, Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle in a wonderful ceremony that was capped off by them driving away in a beautiful blue Jaguar E-Type; you might recall, too, that that old Jag spat out not a lick of exhaust fumes, a trick it pulled off thanks to a reversible all-electric drivetrain conversion. Later in 2018, Jaguar announced that itd fielded so much interest in that E-Type Zero prototype that Jaguar Classic would be taking orders for more of them, with deliveries beginning in summer 2020.
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We havent heard much at all about the program since, though to be fair, a pandemic did crop up in the interim, as well as a need to focus on its, yknow, new-car range in order to keep from going under. In the vacuum left behind, more than a few aftermarket companies (see above) have stepped in to do the E-Type electrifying Jag itself hasnt got around to.
Mini Recharged EVs
If the classic Mini Cooper was engineered and built today, itd definitely be electric, reasoned the automaker in early 2022 when it announced itd be setting aside space in its factory in Oxford to convert classic Coopers to run on electrons. The reversible powertrain swap was something parent BMW had been toying with since 2018this wasnt just a snap decision, you understand. It was also one it decided not to get too wild with, limiting the Mini Recharged EV program to U.K. customers only.
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Volkswagen e-Beetle and e-Bus
Back in 2019, you couldnt stop Volkswagen from commissioning electric conversions of its most iconic models. There was Project e-Bus a 1972 Type 2 van with e-Golf guts that it tapped California-based EV West to build; and, even more retro, the 62 Type 2-based Type 20 Concept done in-house by VWs own Innovation and Engineering Center California (IECC).
But its most fruitful classic-EV effort that year was the partnership it launched with German firm eClassics, to supply that company with parts and new e-UP powertrains for its line of classic Volkswagen Beetle and Bus conversions. Innovative e- components from Volkswagen Group Components are under the bonnet we work with them to electrify historically important vehicles, in what is an emotional process, Thomas Schmall, member of the board of management of Volkswagen Group Components, said at the time.
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An e-Beetle will accelerate from zero to 50 km/h in 4.0 seconds, and offer a range of 200 km. The e-Bus T1 and T2 came later, but follow the same basic idea; all three vehicles are offered direct from eClassics, or you can buy all the necessary parts from the in a kit to do the job yourself.
Aston Martin Heritage EV Concepts
In December 2018, Aston Martin revealed that itd be offering reversible conversions of its classic models via a new Heritage EV Concepts program, set to open 2019. The prototype at the time was a handsome white 1970 DB6 Mk2 Volante with its 282-hp straight-six removed in favour of bits swiped from an E Rapide.
It was all supposed to help future-proof the companys most iconic models against a hypothetical world where internal-combustion was banned or heavily restricted, but the programs launch was also contingent on buy-in from customers. We havent heard a word about it since, suggesting perhaps it never really took off.
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Nicholas Maronese
Nicholas has been part of the Driving.ca team since 2018, and writes specifically about classic cars like his first and currently only car, his 1971 Plymouth Valiant Scamp whenever possible, though he also enjoys exploring vehicular history, automotive design, and car culture. His specific areas of focus include American cars of the 1930s, 60s, and 70s.
Summary
Driving.ca News and Features editor; and a Driving.ca contributor since 2018 Professional writer and editor for over 10 years, seeing publication in some of the most widely read outlets in Canada and the U.S. Specialties include classic-car profiles, automotive history, and stories exploring obscure Canadian car culture
Education
Nicholas graduated from York University with a Bachelors in Professional Writing, and a minor in Philosophy. He also holds a Canadian Private Pilots Licence (PPL); and has been training to be a concours judge.
Experience
Nicholas started out writing news for Sympatico Autos (later renamed Autofocus) before eventually becoming that websites chief editor. In 2018, he joined Driving.ca, and was not long after made the News and Features Editor. Nicholas has also contributed to the Toronto Stars Wheels section; to Hagertys editorial efforts; and to an assortment of other publications. Nicholas has owned and maintained a 1971 Plymouth Valiant Scamp since 2012; and previously tinkered on a 1929 Ford Model A. He is a regular volunteer with the Cobble Beach Concours dElegance in Owen Sound, Ontario; and a frequent participant in Classic Car Adventures Maple Mille event in southern Ontario.
Major works by the author
Nicholas loves exploring overlooked corners of Canadian car culture. For Sympatico Autos, he put together a deep-dive look at General Motors disastrous introduction of its European Firenza to the Canadian market; drafted an authoritative history of the built-in-Canada MCV CH4 supercar; and arranged the first wind-tunnel test of a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona aero warrior available online. For Driving.ca, hes profiled
Chris Hadfields passion for first-generation Ford Thunderbirds; proven that
pre-war cars, excepting the Chrysler Airflow, were more aerodynamic backwards than forwards; and unearthed the story of
the Ferguson Super Sport, a one-off roadster built in Toronto in the 1960s.
