PH Service History: Are Friends Electric
Is a future of electric-powered classics one to look forward to? Scrof wonders whether it might be
So, electric-powered classics, then. I've been thinking about these quite a bit lately, and the appearance of an electric Range Rover on PH earlier this week only spurred those musings further. I've even wondered about converting the BMW to electric power, ready for when the inevitable happens and petrol stations start closing down, making fuel harder to come by. Certainly, I wouldn't be surprised if, in the coming years, companies offering to convert your classic to electric power start to become more widespread - reducing the cost and fuelling, if you'll pardon the pun, a rise in popularity for the practice.
I don't think we're there yet. And frankly, with regard to the BMW, I'd miss the golden woofle of the six-pot, even if I were to gain the instant torque and smooth, silent running an electric motor would bring. However, I don't think the idea of an electric-powered classic is a bad one - in fact, I think in some cases it's exemplary.
I'm aware this may be an unpopular view. But to my mind, there are instances when it makes perfect sense. The ideal candidate is a classic which is desirable for many reasons, but endowed with a bit of a stinker of an engine. Something that looks beautiful or handles tidily, but suffers with a wheezing old lump of pig iron under the bonnet. So, what fits the bill?
The first option that springs to mind is a Citroen DS. This one would do the trick - as a Pallas, it was the plushest DS available from new, and it's finished in very fetching two-tone paint. The 2.3-litre four-pot under the bonnet was the most powerful engine option, but even with fuel injection it was somewhat underpowered and couldn't provide the smoothness you'd expect from a car as comfortable and sleek as the big Citroen.
In other words, switching it out is no great loss. In fact, adding electric power is a gain, as it'll bring the sort of smooth, hushed progress the DS is crying out for, not to mention performance the petrol-powered version could only dream of.
But perhaps desecrating such a great is a step too far for some of you. I get it. The DS is hallowed by most, if not all enthusiasts. So what about something that isn't? I give you the Porsche 924. Now, between you and me, I think the 924's a great used buy, but I know there are plenty of people who don't, and mainly because of what's under the bonnet: a slightly coarse 2.0-litre from an Audi saloon, or in later iterations, a 2.5 that still lacked the sort of power you'd really want in a Porsche.
This one falls into that latter category. But just look at the neat, teardrop styling, unfettered by big skirts; imagine the sweet, tidy handling borne out of that perfect weight distribution - something you could replicate with sensitive battery positioning. Now imagine the same car with an electric motor that gave it a proper kick; a car that looked breathtakingly modern in the 1980s, with a powertrain that feels breathtakingly modern today. I don't know about you, but I'd be sorely tempted.
I reckon a classic electric conversion could also be used to make a desirable car out of a low-end model most people would normally gloss over. This 728i is a prime example. It gets all the cracking looks of an E38 M Sport, but has to make do with the 2.8-litre straight-six engine - lovely elsewhere, but a smidge underpowered here. But just imagine this car powered by a thumping electric motor and a welter of batteries - smooth, quiet, and every bit as quick as one of its V8-powered - and pricier to buy - contemporaries.
The beauty of using a big saloon like the 7 is that there's plenty of space to squeeze everything in, so packaging is less of an issue. However, my final proposition presents more of a challenge. But that'll be half the fun of it for some classic electric converters. So, imagine trying to squeeze all those electric gubbins into this Series One Lotus Elise.
I know, I know. Light weight, and all that. But with modern batteries coming down in size, that's less of an issue these days. After all, the first Tesla Roadster was basically an Elise under the skin. What's more, it's not as though this little Lotus is original - it's a Cat N write-off in need of a repair, so you're not exactly ruining a prime example. So, get that done, ditch the high-mileage K Series, and enjoy. I'll see you at the nearest charging point. Maybe.
Great looking classic, great drivetrain = leave well alone / Great looking and meh or dead+not fixable engine = considering electrification is fine.
Now where are those controller/electrification kits so us diy types can start pulling batteries and motors from (not burned out ghehehe) crashed Tesla's?
Some example candidates for me:
Most 4 pot Bimmers
Most diesel luxo barges
Audi TT (4 pots)
Pug RCZ (non R)
Someone needs to come up with the vanilla option (lots of cars of the type available+appealing to many) option so someone can develop an electrification kit for the 'masses'.
But I’m all for 4 pot classics with humdrum engines having electric conversions, especially if they’re just toys as you dont need the boot space. The wheeler dealers Maserati seemed to go well on electric.
I still kind of want a road going dodgem though, but only if it can still go backwards at full lock, none of this mobility scooter nonsense.
Its got a reasonably nice straight 6 (for a diesel) and goes ok. But i'm tired of lag, dim-witted gearboxes, and the noise. Even though its quite good, it brings down an otherwise still-brilliant car.
Instant mega torque, quiet, smooth and a reasonable range (we struggle to do 200 miles when transporting the dog anyway) would make an ideal future-proof daily for me. It'd suit it's quite relaxed gait too.
But it seems to be missing the point somewhat; classics are supposed to be a bit crap, otherwise there's no point in having modern cars.
Perhaps building a Mini out of a new Heritage shell, a scrapper and a Zoe's rear floorpan might be a way of making a fun gadabout?
Fuel availability? Petrol was available before the internal combustion even existed, petrol is, was, and likely always will be the easiest "component" to source for any classic.
Enviromental reasons? Convert every classic, kit car, track car, home build and every other fringe enthusiast car to electric propulsion and nothing more that a rounding errors worth of difference will be made. There are many areas of life less ingrained with heritage and passionate enthusiasts where huge environmental gains can be made with much less outlay. Electrification of super niche, low volume enthusiast cars that don't cover huge miles is not an efficient expenditure of time, effort and money from an environmental perspective.
Cars are made to move, that manner in which they achieve that movement is largely determined by the engine. To me that is largest factor that defines the character of a car. I find electric quite characterless, especially when compared to some of the more "quirky", low powered engines found in some older cars.
We're living at the end of an era, we "Piston"Heads should probably enjoy the last of the piston powered cars, with all of the character, smells, gearboxes and sounds that come with them.
Leave the classics alone and just have your electric kia or whatever.
Jaguar have a concept with the E-type that lets the owner swap to electric or back to petrol, I'm sure it's more than a few hours work but they've done it on purpose to keep the car as a viable option. The idea being that you use it most of the time on electric but if you want to go to a special event, at a track for example, then you swap back to the old petrol power.
I imagine that was the car Harry and his wife were in but I've never bothered to read up beyond seeing it was an E-Type and a headline saying it was electric so it could be an after market conversion.
The car that strikes me as a great candidate for this is the MGF/TF - like the Elise, the k-series HGF issue is well documented and it is the main Achilles heel of the car - an electric conversion will eliminate this. Low mileage/good condition ones are definitely going up in value so are worth converting. Having driven a few I can say that (as with the Elise I owned) the standard gearchange is not great in terms of feel (my MGB is much better -as was/is the MX5) so loosing that will not be a major 'loss'.
From a packaging perspective, the electric motor could be mounted where the engine was (retaining RWD) and some batteries in that area also, with some more mounted in the front boot, thus retaining the sizeable rear boot the car has. The steering is already EPAS. Imagine one axle worth of Jaguar I-pace power (200 bhp) with instant torque and smooth running with a range between 100-150 miles - not for everyone perhaps but ideal as a fun/weekend classic and more than up to the job of the average MG road run. One has been made before by a private builder but battery technology has moved on a long way since.
What we need is for an MG specialist to offer a conversion service / kit and I think it could be successful, especially if the car could be registered as electric with benefits for taxation etc- perhaps someone out there knows the rules on this one?
The car that strikes me as a great candidate for this is the MGF/TF - like the Elise, the k-series HGF issue is well documented and it is the main Achilles heel of the car - an electric conversion will eliminate this. Low mileage/good condition ones are definitely going up in value so are worth converting. Having driven a few I can say that (as with the Elise I owned) the standard gearchange is not great in terms of feel (my MGB is much better -as was/is the MX5) so loosing that will not be a major 'loss'.
From a packaging perspective, the electric motor could be mounted where the engine was (retaining RWD) and some batteries in that area also, with some more mounted in the front boot, thus retaining the sizeable rear boot the car has. The steering is already EPAS. Imagine one axle worth of Jaguar I-pace power (200 bhp) with instant torque and smooth running with a range between 100-150 miles - not for everyone perhaps but ideal as a fun/weekend classic and more than up to the job of the average MG road run. One has been made before by a private builder but battery technology has moved on a long way since.
What we need is for an MG specialist to offer a conversion service / kit and I think it could be successful, especially if the car could be registered as electric with benefits for taxation etc- perhaps someone out there knows the rules on this one?
Its not a classic yet, nor will it ever be something relaxing....so its a hard sell at the moment.
Its not a classic yet, nor will it ever be something relaxing....so its a hard sell at the moment.
A possible solution to this would be for a specialist manaufacturer to produce conversion kits that can be 'tailored' to individual applications, I.e. The same motor and transmission but with 'cell packs' being supplied according budget and aims of the customer and packaging limitations of the vehicle-obviously tailored looms and drive shafts would be offered for each model. The advantage of a car as numerous as the MGF or MX5 is that there will be more vehicles that survive compared with many models so more potential for selling kits and cost saving from economies of scale. The business case for this will become stronger as the cost of components/batteries falls, the expertise becomes more widespread, the supply of ICE parts diminishes and the price of petrol increases. Yes, at the moment, no one will spend £20k converting an MGF but when conversion costs are much lower (sub £10k or less), the running costs even more favourable and the access to certain areas only available to electric cars, the demand for conversions will grow - as I said before, it is already happening in the US and we in Europe will catch up eventually.
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