How To Convert A Gas-Powered Car To An Electric Vehicle

Back in the eighties I converted a Fiat 128 to electric. I used a surplus jet engine starter as a motor and lead acid golf cart batteries. I intended to add a gas engine genset to extend range. It worked, but only went about 18 miles on a charge. As I remember, I got up to 50 MPH once. It was too early to be practical. Right now I drive a 2019 Chevy Volt. It's basically what I was trying to invent back then.

My dad has also been doing some of these ev conversion on and off the last decade along with restoration. Right now he is retrofitting a 50's Porsche 356 that was converted about a decade ago into electric to a newer system. It's mostly the fun of rich people who get this stuff done.

I'm extremely prouof that young lady converting her car to ev..im an 11yrs worker at a ford engine plant here in ohio. Her motivation is inspiring, and just gave me an idea to eventually change my 2022 bronco, I'm totally impressed

Many thumbs up to that young lady!👍👍👍👍👍 Glad to see schools and training programs for EV mechanics.

"It doesn't take a lot of money, I'm just doing this in the backyard with my dad" a dad who gave her a Porsche and could send her to a school for this kind of thing lol Still a very inspirational story, but let's count our blessings lol

I can’t wait until this becomes affordable for the average person, right now it’s obscenely expensive to convert an ICE over.

I've got n '86 Fiero I'm restoring. When I'm ready for the powertrain swap, the only thing that'll keep me from going EV is cost. If we can get conversion components down in cost a bit, I'm 100% in. That little car would be insane with all that beautiful, instant torque (after I reinforce the hell out of it). :-)

I'm currently converting a 1994 Toyota Celica, these conversions are important not only for the environmental benefit that comes with cutting emissions, but for keeping these classics on the road for all to enjoy as parts become harder to obtain.

As much as I hate pure electric vehicles for the average consumer (Hybrid or plug in hybrid is the way to go because what if electric grid goes down during a natural disaster?), I do indeed love the idea of EV conversions for classic cars where its impossible to source replacement engine components for outdated vehicles. Keep the classics alive!

I would like to see someone doing that on some Pontiac cars.

I was thinking of myself to have a similar conversion shop but couldn't get on to it due to pandemic timing. It's pretty interesting to see these changes in US. I think it is always better to give a second life to your car if economically viable. US is usually ahead in trying new things. Here is Australia things happen very slow.

I sense lighting storm bolt paint jobs are going to be all the rage instead of flame jobs. It's not a lectric rod unless it has an intense lighting storm exploding out from the front to the back.

As a performance fan, an EV conversion is tough to beat. The instantaneous torque puts a big smile on my face every time! I agree that the convenience of a gas powered car is great, even with the high gas prices right now. We recently bought a VW ID.4 and love it, but we bought it after a ton of research and understanding how it fit into our lifestyle and travel plans. The improvements in Level 3 DC fast charging and increased availability have certainly been encouraging developments that will improve longer range trips, but we will keep an ICE vehicle for the foreseeable future. However, I am planning to electrify that ICE vehicle with a small Tesla motor and the battery pack from a Chrysler Pacifica hybrid in search of vastly improved performance and hopefully some improved MPG…we’ll see how that all turns out. It’s not a simple learning curve and high voltage can be very dangerous, but so can gasoline - just ask Leno.

She's doing this at 14? Wow. Can't wait to see the car once it's complete.

3:17 You guys are missing a plethora of old school conversions from the 70s through the 2000s that were more like green commuter cars. White zombie was more of a paradigm shift since they were one of the first to use lithium cells and get insane power

This is a very good summary of the DIY EV conversion market. I believe EV conversions have a future. I love cars and grew up an ICE hot rodder” but the torque and responsiveness of an AC electric motor is mind boggling. The hot rodder’s of the future will be building EV’s. EV West played a major roll helping me build my VoltDog.

:) Already recycling EV components in to spare parts, performance industry was always going to adapt as the demand grew. Hot Rodding has always been at the bleeding edge of technology and performance. Tinkergineering shows the Hot Rod community is strong and healthy and adapting to new technology, and a 914 as a first car, way cool.

electric motorcycle conversions are about to become really interesting, the motors are cheap and easy to install, and current cutting edge battery tech will give you roughly 80 miles on a half hour charge, 70% of that in 15 minutes

Heard rumors about people who have converted first-gen Mirais before; that would be a fun project to say the least as someone who owns one. This is exactly why I’m enrolled in Saddleback College’s Auto 220 class.

Ooh, was thinking of this. Originally bought a 1965 Corvair to update with my son. Though I've thought about an electric Corvair, that's been abandoned. I now have a running 1999 Lexus coupe. I often wonder if that wouldn't be a great electric conversion.