EV Classic cars
Discussion
There is a little company in the west called Electric Classic Cars.
They have a few interesting videos on youtube.
It looks like they get their bits from EVWest in California.
While ECC do not quote costs I made a little list of parts to make a full conversion of a car like a TVR S with 165hp Twin AC motor and 32kWh of used Tesla batteries and just the parts came to £16k before things like custom battery boxes, mounting brakets and the donor vehicle and any posh bits like LED headlights.
My guess is not including a donor car, they might want £5-10k to put it together before any other restoration costs.
As a home project it looks quite interesting, might want to factor in high voltage safety training costs though.
I am kind of torn between the idea of butchering a classic and making an interesting and fun EV.
But if you did it in a way it could be reversed - and I don't see why you shouldn't so I am all for it!
They have a few interesting videos on youtube.
It looks like they get their bits from EVWest in California.
While ECC do not quote costs I made a little list of parts to make a full conversion of a car like a TVR S with 165hp Twin AC motor and 32kWh of used Tesla batteries and just the parts came to £16k before things like custom battery boxes, mounting brakets and the donor vehicle and any posh bits like LED headlights.
My guess is not including a donor car, they might want £5-10k to put it together before any other restoration costs.
As a home project it looks quite interesting, might want to factor in high voltage safety training costs though.
I am kind of torn between the idea of butchering a classic and making an interesting and fun EV.
But if you did it in a way it could be reversed - and I don't see why you shouldn't so I am all for it!
I'm a massive fan of the VW Campers that are getting converted on Youtube. Just ashame that to get your hands on a van or camper these days means big bucks even before you start.
There was a 60's Fiat convertible that looked like a cool way to cruise around but maybe that's because they have the back drop of California and not Hampshire.
There was a 60's Fiat convertible that looked like a cool way to cruise around but maybe that's because they have the back drop of California and not Hampshire.
Conversions have been done for years by enthusiasts and gluttons for punishment.
I've done Electric Hillman Imp, Bedford Rascal, etc etc.
Early conversions were pretty dire and generally not much more than glorified milkfloats.. (Of course there are exceptions)
Technology has moved on rapidly though and it's possible to do good AC conversions now with Lithium batteries to make vehicles with acceptable range and performance. It costs of course and quite a bit of bespoke engineering is required.. But it's doable on virtually any car.
I would say it's easier on pre CAN bus cars so the electronics is simpler..
Have a go....
I've done Electric Hillman Imp, Bedford Rascal, etc etc.
Early conversions were pretty dire and generally not much more than glorified milkfloats.. (Of course there are exceptions)
Technology has moved on rapidly though and it's possible to do good AC conversions now with Lithium batteries to make vehicles with acceptable range and performance. It costs of course and quite a bit of bespoke engineering is required.. But it's doable on virtually any car.
I would say it's easier on pre CAN bus cars so the electronics is simpler..
Have a go....
dickyf said:
Whats the view of the masses on the trend in California to convert classics to state of the art electric cars? I'm interested in the idea for certain models IE VW camper and 70s 911s but im not sure if there would be a market for it in the UK...thoughts??
Looks pretty nice - a great way to keep classics on the road and a good way of beating emission zones and restrictions! https://youtu.be/rIil_VwBGYM
There are some companies in the Netherlands and Germany that do conversion of classic cars as well. Even if the costs are pretty high, reality showed that there are always enthousiasts that want to go that way.
See also www.he-cars.com, costumcars.nl, newelectric.com and others. I have just finished building a 150kW 6 speed Matra Murena with 37kWh Lipo-batteries. Certification and EMC testing, and the new regulations for battery crash safety are going to be the big issue to get cars officially on the road or not.
See also www.he-cars.com, costumcars.nl, newelectric.com and others. I have just finished building a 150kW 6 speed Matra Murena with 37kWh Lipo-batteries. Certification and EMC testing, and the new regulations for battery crash safety are going to be the big issue to get cars officially on the road or not.
my 'vision' if you can call it that would relate to high cost cars that have depreciated heavily but still have strong residuals and are desirable.
i.e. R129 SL and R107. The Least desirable models could be used as donors. i.e. small engine ones..
I also think defenders would be a great choice for an elec vehicle....I need to do some market research..
i.e. R129 SL and R107. The Least desirable models could be used as donors. i.e. small engine ones..
I also think defenders would be a great choice for an elec vehicle....I need to do some market research..
ephemera said:
There are some companies in the Netherlands and Germany that do conversion of classic cars as well. Even if the costs are pretty high, reality showed that there are always enthousiasts that want to go that way.
See also www.he-cars.com, costumcars.nl, newelectric.com and others. I have just finished building a 150kW 6 speed Matra Murena with 37kWh Lipo-batteries. Certification and EMC testing, and the new regulations for battery crash safety are going to be the big issue to get cars officially on the road or not.
That's great, I was thinking being the first going top convert a Murena into electric...See also www.he-cars.com, costumcars.nl, newelectric.com and others. I have just finished building a 150kW 6 speed Matra Murena with 37kWh Lipo-batteries. Certification and EMC testing, and the new regulations for battery crash safety are going to be the big issue to get cars officially on the road or not.
Hope you succeded, can you share some pics with me ?
Fully charged at New Electric in Amsterdam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zz3H0pSQ4Q
IMo as EVs get more common and supply of crashed car parts increases costs should come down, classics are much easier to convert than modern cars with fewer issues, and its a great way to keep old cars on the road and in regular use.
A converted existing car using recovered 2nd use parts is also the lowest environmental impact too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zz3H0pSQ4Q
IMo as EVs get more common and supply of crashed car parts increases costs should come down, classics are much easier to convert than modern cars with fewer issues, and its a great way to keep old cars on the road and in regular use.
A converted existing car using recovered 2nd use parts is also the lowest environmental impact too
I’ve given this lots of thought having very nearly converted my Porsche 912 to electric a couple of years ago. I chose not to on the grounds that it was prohibitively expensive - around £30-40k done professionally using the ECC, and I wasn’t sure whether I’d end up with something I’d actually want to drive.
Questions that came into my mind:
- Are all of the compromises of owning a classic car - safety, comfort, lack of technology etc, going to be compensated by an EV power plant? This may be the case with a beautifully engineered (and sounding) ICE engine ... but with an electric motor, surely you’re just left with something that looks pretty, but with all of the compromises of a classic car - and something that goes and sounds like a milk float?
- The UK government isn’t penalising classic cars at present; for e.g. they are excluded from the ULEZ charges in London, implying their contribution to totals miles driven / carbon monoxide output as a whole is immaterial - so it worth butchering the relatively few pieces of automotive history left on our roads?
- Are EV’s a stepping stone to more greener forms of automotive energy (Hydrogen etc) in the not too distance future?
When I weighed it all up - I couldn’t justify the initial outlay... the maths and rationale just didn’t add up.
I think a much better compromise is to own the latest and greatest BEV for your daily duties - I own a BMW i3s - and a classic car for the odd Sunday morning blast to Bicester Heritage. Then you get the best of both worlds with no compromise.
On a related noted - VW’s ID Buzz - I.e. creating an EV Camper Van - but built from the ground up as an EV, is a much better solution to providing “retro looks” and “EV tech” combined, than trying to repurpose an original camper van - in my opinion.
Questions that came into my mind:
- Are all of the compromises of owning a classic car - safety, comfort, lack of technology etc, going to be compensated by an EV power plant? This may be the case with a beautifully engineered (and sounding) ICE engine ... but with an electric motor, surely you’re just left with something that looks pretty, but with all of the compromises of a classic car - and something that goes and sounds like a milk float?
- The UK government isn’t penalising classic cars at present; for e.g. they are excluded from the ULEZ charges in London, implying their contribution to totals miles driven / carbon monoxide output as a whole is immaterial - so it worth butchering the relatively few pieces of automotive history left on our roads?
- Are EV’s a stepping stone to more greener forms of automotive energy (Hydrogen etc) in the not too distance future?
When I weighed it all up - I couldn’t justify the initial outlay... the maths and rationale just didn’t add up.
I think a much better compromise is to own the latest and greatest BEV for your daily duties - I own a BMW i3s - and a classic car for the odd Sunday morning blast to Bicester Heritage. Then you get the best of both worlds with no compromise.
On a related noted - VW’s ID Buzz - I.e. creating an EV Camper Van - but built from the ground up as an EV, is a much better solution to providing “retro looks” and “EV tech” combined, than trying to repurpose an original camper van - in my opinion.
Edited by nickpan on Thursday 14th May 06:25
Edited by nickpan on Thursday 14th May 07:38
ephemera said:
Certification and EMC testing, and the new regulations for battery crash safety are going to be the big issue to get cars officially on the road or not.
In Belgium it has been all but impossible to get a car like that on the road for years, never stung that much but with this emerging trend it's quite sad.They should add in some exceptions for classic cars as I think it's a great alternative. I'd love a classic car of some sort but I realized that unless you have the space and time to look into stuff yourself it really isn't worth it.
Getting it reliable like that would be the best of both worlds.
nickpan said:
- Are all of the compromises of owning a classic car - safety, comfort, lack of technology etc, going to be compensated by an EV power plant? This may be the case with a beautifully engineered (and sounding) ICE engine ... but with an electric motor, surely you’re just left with something that looks pretty, but with all of the compromises of a classic car - and something that goes and sounds like a milk float?
- Are EV’s a stepping stone to more greener forms of automotive energy (Hydrogen etc) in the not too distance future?
1 - I think its an alternative to a fossil classic, if you want the modern safety and convenience you need a modern car. An ev drive will make most far more usable and reliable and I think its a good idea for any classic that isnt about the engine or has a shot engine. - Are EV’s a stepping stone to more greener forms of automotive energy (Hydrogen etc) in the not too distance future?
2 - No, Evs are not a stepping stone, hydrogen is a dodo for passenger cars.
Oh I am sure battery tech will change, we wont be on lithium ion batteries for ever esp with liquid electrolyte.
We'll have solid state batteries in a few years and perhaps switch to something else later ( there are many more lighter, cheaper, more energy dense solutions being worked on).
But the idea something else like hydrogen will replace a battery pack in cars isnt likely.
We'll have solid state batteries in a few years and perhaps switch to something else later ( there are many more lighter, cheaper, more energy dense solutions being worked on).
But the idea something else like hydrogen will replace a battery pack in cars isnt likely.
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