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

Interest in electric vehicles is at an all time high, with sales of new EVs up 55 percent in 2022 compared to the year prior. But there are still a lot of gas cars on the road today and there will be for a long time. EV conversions are becoming a bigger trend that could help. Both the shops and aftermarket community are growing substantially to meet the new demand. CNBC explores what it takes to convert a gas-powered car to an electric vehicle and whether it could go mainstream.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
02:40 - EV conversions
04:12 - Conversion shops
06:45 - DIY community
11:16 - Challenges
Produced, Shot and Edited by: Andrew Evers
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Narration: Robert Ferris
Additional Footage: Tinkergineering, Ford, Chevrolet, SEMA, EV West, Electric Vehicle Learning Center, Portland Auto Show
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How To Convert A Gas-Powered Car To An Electric Vehicle

[@jeffsaxton716]

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.

[@Tore_Lund]

In 1991 I drove around a 3 wheel neighbourhood EV, also souped up with a 22KW motor. Top speed was 64 mph and range on lead acid batteries was 75 miles at 30 mph. Currently driving a Fiat 600 elettra from 2002. Fiat made a few of those EV Fiat 600 with lead acid batteries. now with Li-ion batteries I get 120 miles on a charge.

[@ogx1337]

lil bro again stoned

[@dd___dc]

The issue was da battery range

[@thomasolson7447]

Why woud you do that. A battery can't even warm up my engine block if I leave my van for a week in the winter.

[@dd___dc]

@@thomasolson7447 in Canada they have engine block/battery warmer idk if it's free or not

[@speedracer2please]

"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

[@samkelo27]

Don't forget the sponsors and KZbin ads lol

[@LouisSubearth]

914s are among the cheapest vintage Porsches you can buy, since they're basically rebodied Beetles, so it's not as cost prohibitive as you think.

[@dannelson6980]

She picked and sold citrus to buy the car. The 914 community is pretty generous to any young person getting one back on the road.

[@dannelson6980]

@Matt Black No one said she did the conversion selling citrus. She has moved beyond that. She bought the car with her savings picking and selling citrus it is 914 not a 911 GT3. You could make enough to buy a car with a bucket, towels and soap. We bought restored and converted two cars for 20k, first the kids' Bug and my 914.

[@a427rracer]

Why can't you just be proud of what the young woman has accomplished instead you are condoning how she got her funds. So what she has a you tube you tube pays money to people why isn't that good enough for you? Just be Mad at your self for not having the mental drive of a 14 year old girl 😂😂😂

[@chadnoneo9769]

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.

[@zabby113]

Restoring/re-engining classic cars has always been a thing that's mostly the fun of rich people.

[@ken-mb5cp]

How many miles do you get on these cars per charge?

[@CallMeByMyMatingName]

​@@sageopheim8382you're not saying differently than it's mostly for people of means.

[@tannerpaisley-ve6dq]

@@ken-mb5cp Enough to drive around the block and take miss daisy out.

[@tannerpaisley-ve6dq]

@@ken-mb5cp I would never buy a car with less than 400 range if I'm paying big bucks

[@ohiorichkidbeats]

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

[@muskrat3291]

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

[@douglasdoesstuff]

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.

[@SubversiveInnkeeper]

The 6th gen Celica is such a beautiful car. Glad to see someone giving one a new life.

[@PistonHonda87]

EVs are a scam. Lithium mining is an environmental disaster, it takes 500,000 gallons of fresh water to produce 1 ton of lithium, it takes a ton of oil to produce and transport oil, when the batteries die they are incinerated. Then there is the life span issue, EVs are heavier, making accidents more dangerous.

[@dollazNzentz]

I have a 00 Celica and would love to do this

[@volkhen0]

1994 is the one with round front lights or the one with opening front lights? I used to have 1993 Celica.

[@eddyboh2723]

I have question, how do you insure an electric converted car?

[@QMaverick1]

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). :-)

[@A_Litre_of_Farva]

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

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Ezlink Card USD SGD

[@prashanthb6521]

That 14 years old girl's passion is good. I hope more women become serious about their cars. Most are nonchalant.

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

:) 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.

[@shackf16]

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.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Can't wait in five to ten years when Axial Flux motors come out in mass. There is one by Helix UK. They claim 52 pounds and.... 800 BHP! Imagine if someone grabs two. Sticks it with a tiny jet turbine generator. A small solid state battery to run. Stick it into a small body. Boom! Hell, soon you wouldn't need a generator. Future is bright. I don't care if a car goes vroom. I just want speed, and great handling. EVs allow that with the center of mass. They just have the whole weight issue. I am surprised there aren't more series hybrids TBH with a turbine engine. Always thought they were the most efficent, lightweight, and relatively simple.

[@thabs2001]

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

[@SamWesting]

At 24, she’ll be converting that car back to ICE when a replacement battery gets too expensive, as the Chinese will corner the market on manganese & cobalt.

[@kabysummit5801]

​@Sam Westing In your dreams 😅 Prices will continue to drop. The only exception is American labor.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

@@kabysummit5801 exactly

[@andrewdiamond2697]

@@SamWesting I knew there'd be a dumb comment with this video. I'm not disappointed.

[@ken-mb5cp]

@@SamWesting Yeah and gas will cost 20$ per gallon if you can find it.

[@ronriley2907]

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.

[@GenXRanter]

There's nothing to "build" you just plug electric motors in.

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

I believe that all race cars should be EV, including monster trucks.

[@TheSOHO92]

​@@GenXRanter I may not agree with your hot take, but you certainly follow through with the spirit of your username. "What it says on the tin." As grandpa used to say. I can direct you to several ev conversion projects on KZbin if your interested in more detail. These mainstream media videos don't show how much actual work people put in to these vehicles.

[@ThisIsReMarkable]

@@GenXRanter This is the hottest of takes

[@mistergoodcitizen9914]

No hot rodder will even buy a electric car it goes against everything they stand for.

[@ph11p3540]

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.

[@kennystrawnmusic]

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.

[@Kelvin555s]

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.

[@doujinflip]

For a sporty car, EV conversions actually make it perform better. Electric motors give more torque and the lower center of mass lets it turn sharper.

[@anydaynow01]

@@doujinflip I think the EV conversions are better for the old luxury cars, like the old USA lead sleds and land yachts or the old German sedans and Swedish hatchbacks where the smoothness and torque are prefered. The sports cars are best as H pattern ICE cars, though if someone wants an automatic then an EV conversion makes sense for them. The folks who prefer to drive and work on an ICE do it for a different reason, a lot like how people still ride horses even though it makes zero sense since they are slower than an ICE sports car. It's a strange tactile thing.

[@eddyboh2723]

I have question, how do you insure an electric converted car?

[@someonez768]

​@@doujinflipyep, because single or duel motors itself gives you more than 500 hp which is even more than a supra Note: if you are supra kid, don't get offended, just accept truth that supra is nothing without modifications (literally inline 6, bro it's engine used in trucks 😂)

[@gsantee]

Janus Electric

[@TheJ1s]

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

[@Irothelegend1]

I have two 4 the gen Trans AMs I can do this on 😊

[@PacificDark]

1981 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo is my dream car.

[@sdmurphy20]

I wonder if that could bring back the Pontiac brand.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

Disgusting. Truly disgusting. The brand was already killed off, let the classics that live on keep their soul, damnit.

[@GNARGNARHEAD]

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

[@calvin99991]

Wow, 80 miles. Almost enough to actually go someplace.

[@Freshbott2]

@@calvin99991how long’s your commute?

[@jeffsaxton716]

I have a 1970 HD sportster 1200. I'm conflicted as to whether to convert it. It's the S variant .. Buell heads, dual plugs, high compression. I think I'd rather convert my 1999 Whizzer copy to electric.

[@Trenavix]

E-Moto makes life so much simpler. Keep your gas car as a backup, and use the e-moto for 90% of your tasks. Uses less energy, maintenance is way easier, no parking issues, no congestion issues. It is absolutely the way to go. Way cheaper as well.

[@doujinflip]

I ride a e-motorbike. It is totally worth it, especially when the office is paying for the wall socket I can top up the battery at.

[@arcticredpanda4598]

The guy said $20K to $30k for the parts and $20k to $30k for the install PLUS the cost of the car WITH A STRAIGHT FACE.

[@famicomnintendo]

I see what you mean, read it before seeing it

[@zabby113]

This isn't being pitched as something that makes financial sense. Restoring classic cars, hot rods etc. has always been a rich person hobby, re-engining them as electric will be the same.

[@comicrandomness3289]

Synthetic fuel will be better. People say it's too expensive but converting your classic car to ev is also expensive so does it matter?

[@kabysummit5801]

If I can have the EV of my dreams at 60k, I'd do it. Alfa Romeo GTV

[@andrewdiamond2697]

He has a 5-year backlog/waitlist. His order book says the straight face is justified.

[@chargeheadsuk]

Great to see some content on EV conversions. EV West are an amazing company. UK are leading the way though 😉⚡️🇬🇧

[@TrymeAsshole]

That is insane … what a smart move … I’m no ev fan but this is a very smart business decision

[@djgill92]

I agree.

[@svenhodaka9145]

Cool stuff. This is great to see everyone so enthusiastic, and impressive what they are able to build. 👍

[@arc4055]

Jerry rig everything converted a military humvee to electric humvee in his home garage by himself and a friend. Far more impressive than what this girl is doing. Why was he not given time on this video. He has a KZbin playlist where he has documented the progress very well. And that conversion of an humvee is a not just any car getting converted to an EV. It's a gas guzzling monster being converted to an EV. It sends an even powerful message than a small Porsche being converted to an EV. The message is "Any car can be converted to an EV and it will be as much as fun if not more than an ICE car. So come and convert your fun to drive ICE car to an EV."

[@triadwarfare]

These interviews require negotiations. If no party agrees to the terms when featured in the video, no feature will take place. This girl has a lot to gain by being featured in CNBC as she's relatively unknown, JerryRigEverything, not so much, since he is already established.

[@nSnowCrow]

Your comment is really awkward. Do you think Zack would rather see himself covered instead of a young KZbinr?

[@icraftcrafts8685]

shoutout to this lady. and jehu garcia at the end. and ev west.

[@demoncreature5358]

I wonder how solid state batteries will change this. Less weight per performance. Less risk of catching fire. I really can't wait to see how solid state batteries will change the ev market.

[@doujinflip]

Also the advent of sodium-ion batteries, which are not as energy dense but also carry far fewer fire hazards and could displace what we use lithium now for applications that are not as sensitive to weight (fixed storage, possibly trains and ships, etc). This alone would free up significant amounts of Li-ion for where it's most required.

[@shmookins]

Not just in EVs, but if solid batteries work, they'll change the electronics business (such as phones, laptops)

[@triadwarfare]

@@doujinflip i don't think sodium ion can become the defacto standard of EVs yet. If people are complaining about the limited range of current Lithium based batteries, going to sodium will only make things worse.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

Solid state batteries are going nowhere in the EV world. Plus all of the most efficient current types still use lithium. They’re not going to be the magical solution everyone in the EV world so desperately dreams of (and NEEDS to keep their pipe dream alive).

[@jon-williammurphy9780]

the rebate law SB301 recently passed actually! I don't know when it goes into effect or if you'll "probably" have to be a certified shop or whatever but it offers up to $4k as a rebate, so that's pretty sweet.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

I’m so glad I left that AWFUL state and my tax dollars aren’t going towards this crap.

[@jon-williammurphy9780]

@@Shoprestorationthe we're happy to see you go :D

[@Brownyman]

Just subscribed to that young lady's channel - "Tinker-geneering" with Frances Pearl Farnam! She is absolutely brilliant and a total sweetheart, and she could use so much more than what she has at the moment! CNBC is BY FAR my favorite mainstream media outlet around, and thank you for fighting the good fight as best you all can!

[@Shoprestorationthe]

“Fighting the good fight” What, advocating for the desecration of classic cars in pursuit of a pipe dream that will eventually fail, leaving us right back where we started?

[@kchiker]

The 14 yo girl is amazing. I see her having a very bright future.

[@Ryukachoo]

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

[@jasonrodgers9063]

A good friend of mine converted a Porsche 914 (the mid-engine boxy one like in the video) to an EV. A BUNCH of work, a BUNCH of $$, but he got it done! He used lead-acid forklift gel batteries. Only has about 50 miles of range, but still pretty damn cool!

[@georgestrange7424]

Bruh

[@ljprep6250]

He could sextuple that range with lithium batteries.

[@jasonrodgers9063]

Couldn't afford them. His project cost $20K as it was!@@ljprep6250

[@celestialx8]

50 miles 😂

[@keilmillerjr9701]

Useless mod. I couldn't even visit my closest relative.

[@ralphqmunoz700]

You go for it we need more young people like you.

[@sellsellsell2000]

Car company should make electric vehicle kits for their cars. If you have a 2020 Toyota, there should be a kit / conversion turning that car into a electric vehicle. This method will save alot of natural resource building a NEW vehicle every year.

[@dr.feelgood2358]

fun (expensive) hobby. i'm all for it, but i can't really afford that kind of expense. I imagine i'll acquire a used EV at some point, which will be my starting point in the transition away from ICE.

[@Brettdyt]

How do I convert an electric car to a gasoline engine to increase the range?

[@cancelled_user]

And make it sound nice 🙂

[@LouisSubearth]

Rich Rebuilds LS swapped a Tesla Model S. It is possible, however it's more complicated than converting a gas car to EV.

[@MrPeach1]

And fuel up time

[@Shoprestorationthe]

Sell the EV to a blue-haired idiot and buy a proper gasoline powered vehicle. Very simple.

[@nSnowCrow]

tow a trailer with a generator running on it, then connect to your EV.

[@adrianherrera1031]

Finally ev west is getting huge recognition! Question tho I remember you guys have a Toyo pickup build but I don’t see it for sale as a kit.

[@scottkempton6085]

My fantasy EV conversion: a 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88. It would have modern suspension, AC, etc. I've liked that body style since I was a kid (about a million years ago!)

[@emmanuelharbor2350]

Great research of converting EV from gas powered vehicles

[@kingfabrah]

I watched few dudes who did it simply beautiful. I’m not an electric guy.

[@mikeshafer]

I would do this for some specific car like a Porsche 911 Carerra (964), convertible, and if I had money to dump happily. The additional problem with these conversions is they rarely get over 200mi of range, so it's really a conversion for city streets. I would also wait and see if shops like EV West can convert over to the NACS standard rather than CCS, now that the entire country is going NACS thanks to Ford and GM partnering with Tesla.

[@ken-mb5cp]

200 miles is ok now in most populated areas. There’s enough chargers but they need NACS true.

[@IMGreg..]

Classic cars aren't driven that distance much anyway, so it wouldn't be noticeable.

[@doujinflip]

I'm hoping that EVs are able to have the charger ports easily swapped out as needed until we converge on an open global standard. Besides NACS/Tesla, there's also SAE/CCS1, the EU's CCS2, Japan's CHAdeMO, and China's GB/T.

[@LouisSubearth]

Converting to NACS shouldn't be too hard, since the pin outs are identical to CCS, they just have the advantage of allowing both slow and fast current through their two main pins.

[@KaiPonte]

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.

[@sdmurphy20]

Keep an eye on Francis folks. Shes on to something great ❤

[@JF238xCreatingABetterFuture]

The auto industry needs to create EV batteries that are sustainable, safe, and recyclable for the long term…I think I would be benefiting for both the industry and the environment consumers live in!

[@Simon-dm8zv]

Guess what, they already exist.

[@triadwarfare]

@@Simon-dm8zv no they don't. Current EV batteries are still unsustainable, relying on destructive mining operations and exploiting child labor, and helping the destructive artisan mining in DRC skirt around sanctions. The ones are supposed to be sustainable are still years away from mass production. Sodium batteries would also be too heavy and inefficient to be used in cars, so they'll most likely end up in fixed infrastructure projects. Recycling lithium batteries isn't also a thing.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

@@triadwarfare They do. Look up lithium iron phosphate. Has been around for years and many EVs rely on it. No cobalt, no nickel.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

Great, so when it’s cold outside you have dramatically reduced range.. brilliant! Not to mention, they still use lithium, which is going to become a major problem in the short term future as supply does not begin to meet demand. Simon, this is all a pipe dream. It’s time you just accept that.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

Joe No such thing is going to happen. There is no new battery technology anywhere on the foreseeable horizon that has the potential to solve the MAJOR issues with EV batteries now. Unless someone comes up with something brand new, and soon, the EV world is going to collapse in on itself.

[@andyroid7339]

If there was any aspect of this report I could put my money on to win, it would definitely be Frances, Here is a young woman with potential. She will certainly go far. CNBC - keep an eye on her.

[@pimpdaddy1469]

I love this shopping watching them for a while I love the fact that they're converting real cars into electric vehicles and the fact that your steering wheel still connected to your tires I think is a better option than driving an electric vehicle and driving by wire that just means your steering wheel is not connected to your tires 🤔 I think that's a bad idea

[@urbanknish]

The Detroit Electric was an electric car produced by the Anderson Electric Car Company in Detroit, Michigan. The company built 13,000 electric cars from 1907 to 1939.

[@josepeixoto3384]

Oh, shht, will History repeat itself?? i think it has started already, in the US, Evs are piling up at the dealers' and nobody buying them..

[@MBarberfan4life]

The battery pack is still really expensive, so I don't think it makes financial sense to convert an ICE car into an EV----at least at this moment in time.

[@imrytebeehyneu]

It's a different battery installation

[@ken-mb5cp]

I read that insurance companies are quick to total slightly damaged EVs so there’s a battery source there.

[@imrytebeehyneu]

@@ken-mb5cp why you so against EV

[@eln0n01]

Well if it makes you feel any better, the people paying to get that done are usually rich.

[@ken-mb5cp]

@@imrytebeehyneu I’m not against anything

[@apterachallenge]

I believe that if you were to use high energy density batteries (probably higher than even exist yet) along with in-wheel motors, you could convert an existing small car for a relatively low cost. You just substitute the ICE engine and transmission for a battery pack in the engine compartment, and have 2 relatively small in-wheel motors (about 40kw for each motor like the Elaphe S400) attached to the suspension where the wheel axles would normally be at the front. For more high-performance applications, you could add 2 more motors at the rear. For more range, you can have an additional battery pack where the fuel tank is in the ICE version. If you can limit the weight of that front battery pack to not much more than the original engine, transaxle, radiator, fuel tank and exhaust system (about 200kg) then you can reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of the vehicle to the point where it doesn't need more than about 60kwh of batteries to give it decent range. But you need a good energy density like probably 300wh/kg to give you 60kwh in that example above of a 200kg battery pack. You don't want to be putting any more weight at the front of the car than what would have been there in the ICE version, and to balance it out and get the maximum range you do need to use that fuel tank space for more batteries, but beyond that, you shouldn't need to cut into the car body or put batteries under the rear seat or anything like that. A bolt-in solution is preferable to reduce labour costs.

[@charlesball6519]

In wheel motors are a BAD idea. Just look at Lordstown Motors. Their truck has four in wheel motors, a 109kWh battery, with only 179 mile range. The Ford F-150 Lightning standard range pack is 98kWh, and has a 270-280 mile range.

[@apterachallenge]

@@charlesball6519 Completely different vehicle, much heavier, less aerodynamic and with different, bigger motors. The motors on the Aptera will only be spinning at about 1500rpm at full speed, and will require much less power. In-wheel motors really only work well with lightweight vehicles, which Aptera is. They have even modified the existing Elaphe M700 to reduce power slightly and make it even more efficient.

[@cameronf3343]

Thought of being able to drive an electric ‘69 Camaro convertible makes me happy.

[@extraincomesuz]

This is what I've waited my whole adult life to see! Way back in the early 80s I was looking at the first solar panels on Real Goods thinking, when they start converting gas cars to EVs, then we'll see the end of fossil fuels. Yaay! 🎉🎉🎉❤

[@annagodman688]

we need an affordable conversion kit for both full EV and HYBRID setup

[@OutletFlow]

It’s a shame the producers did not interview Rich from richrebuilds

[@billburgess4720]

How about a receiver hitch with a 220-volt charger multifuel attachment? smallest size to run a 220-Volt charger on Hemp oil...Maybe that new rotary unit is about 18# receiver weight and a 12' X 12' package all-inclusive for those extended road trips? How big does a charger motor have to be?

[@Llampalleq]

Great report about the DIY EV market development. We, sadly, in LA do not have the same sources of knowledge and services as in the US. Would you please tell me what is that NY company that teaches how to convert ICV to EV? Thanks in advance for the info.

[@frankcoffey]

I can't wait to see more of this in the US. I see a lot of builders in Europe but we seem to be a bit behind. The SEMA show should be amazing the next few years.

[@anydaynow01]

Agreed all the old land yachts and lead sleds they have would be great EV conversion candidates since the engines were powerful for the time and meant to be smooth as possible anyway. I would hope the sports cars and muscle cars keep their soulful beating ICE hearts though. There is just something about rowing through the gear on an H pattern shifter and knowing the Rube Goldberg machine under the hood is spinning away giving its all. A lot like how the ICE never replaced recreational horses. It's not about the speed but the experience.

[@willm5814]

If someone developed a kit to convert the most popular cars in the last 10 years, like to Toyota Camry then you would get an economy of scale

[@ShamileII]

Wow....this is so cool! This coming from V12 Lamborghini and Ferrari ownership.

[@J_MM]

There's going to be a market for this. Someone better catch on before a large company gets to it first.

[@NixonAngelo]

I think this is a great. I would want both though 😅

[@williamdaugherty5406]

But did the girl ever get the bolt off her car?

[@LouisSubearth]

I hope so.

[@paula.3221]

That's totally smart win win. Saving a car to become electric In the long run its worth it.

[@AntilleanConfederation]

Hell no. Never.

[@jp-um2fr]

Electric cars have their batteries low down under the floor to balance the load and keep the CofG low as well as for safely reasons in the event of an accident. The extra weight requires a stronger chassis, stronger suspension, better brakes, etc.

[@tedfeast]

Turning real cars into golf carts. Thank you for helping to contribute to the demose of free travel.

[@Shoprestorationthe]

The Last Chase, here we come!

[@givanildosouza6904]

golf carts are awesome, why do you make it sound like a bad thing?

[@ecognitio9605]

Don't let this Advert fool you the demand for EV conversions is extremely low and makes no financial sense.

[@ianhamilton3113]

Most people don't own classic cars for financial reasons.

[@Radek3887]

It literally said in the video that doing mass conversions doesn't make sense. It only sometimes makes sense in very limited commercial scenarios. That guy is running a speed shop for wealthy clients.

[@NBWDOUGHBOY]

I love the idea of EV Conversions. This might actually be a Good Market for Tesla to Adopt.

[@heesingsia4634]

This will be for car enthusiasts only. Even if the parts go down to 10k and labour down to 10k + donor car, getting a new EV with warranty and newer tech (battery chemistry, BMS) will probably cost around 30k only. It won't incentivize the mass market to make such conversions.

[@doujinflip]

The mass market wasn't suping-up or re-engining their rides to begin with.

[@Brownyman]

On one hand, as a young person you could go to college and wind up with lots of debt. Or on the other hand, you could start a business and wind up with lots of assets. 🤷‍♀️

[@Jakeobfreedman]

Most businesses fail and close after a few years. It’s good to have inspirations, but you could just as easily say go to college (if you’re smart enough), be an engineer or doctor and end up with way more assets than someone who tried and failed at building a business. Different things for different people.

[@TheTanman412]

More of this, please! Thank you for making this, so proud of my hometown of San Diego and EV West. They are starting an international movement. Education & training is a must. These things are so much more fun to drive, even if they’re less efficient than modern electric cars, they still blow any ICE out of the water. EV Motors = 90% efficient Gas Engine = 30% efficient Also, almost any electric car is faster 0-30mph than most Sports Cars. 0-60mph is overrated and less useful in a city.

[@srinivasvaranasi1645]

Wow! I thought the US was lagging behind in EV absorption. But I see it is making it fun. That is what got the fascination for ICE engines in the first place.

[@wilburfudd]

What if i already have a plug in hybrid and just want a bigger battery would it still cost more then buying the car brand new?

[@Vitamin-bh9kg]

this is good, but an electric frankenstein for the price of a new electric car)

[@ianhamilton3113]

But fun to drive.

[@BadBackOz]

That girl speaks as someone with 20+ years more life experience than she has.

[@oftengone]

Agreed

[@lazytommy0]

more people might hop on board if prices become actually affordable for the average consumer. most people cant just randomly fork out 50 to 100k just for a ride, especially one that is new and still considered to be experimental.

[@peterkotara]

I loved the cars of the future in the 1997 movie Gattaca, 1960s-70s classics electrified. Uma thurmans character drove an electric Citroën DS Décapotable.

[@TomCook1993]

Here come all the I.C.E. slaves saying “YoUrE rUiNiNg ThE cAR”

[@Simon-dm8zv]

Yup, already pouring in

[@thorbjrnhellehaven5766]

I love EV conversion! I can't wait for more conversion parts to be off the shelf, to make DIY conversion easier.

[@rockinracer]

Thought about using this set up in a R V, as a hybrid? Or with diesel generator to increase distance of Battery charge, like a Tesla I saw on YT.

[@IMGreg..]

Francis is fantastic!! 14, that's amazing!

[@lifetransformed6673]

This is what the world needs very quickly

[@AB-jz9ns]

Where is the needed electricity will come from?

[@zeph_os]

I'm still not ready to go full EV yet, but I'm currently shopping around for a new car and looking to get a hybrid, plug-in or otherwise. I like the idea of having an EV one day, I'm just not in a position to reasonably own one

[@dawsongooch4194]

Chevy Bolts are the most affordable with a 200-250 mile range. You can get them for around $20,000. Probably the cheapest new car you can buy and run period, gas or EV, but as a Bolt owner I wouldn't recommend it if you expect to do road trips often. I'm kinda shocked that the new prius looks good, and has like 40 miles of electric range, so that ones worth a look if you haven't checked it out already!

[@zeph_os]

@@dawsongooch4194 I appreciate the pointer. My only problem is I am still in college so my budget is like half that, so I've been browsing used hybrids instead

[@dawsongooch4194]

@@zeph_os Best of luck!

[@equarg]

Welp, the struggle was real when the first cars came out…getting gas and finding parts. Look how long we relied on horse power across so many civilizations. The old joke was “har hat, get a horse!” When a person was seen stuck on the side of the road due to a flat or being out of gas. Now most Americans can’t even ride a horse (sadly).

[@Ryukachoo]

0:50 Uh, why is some older white gentleman showing off the Moby X, when the creator is the well-known Bisi of bisimoto who is extremely Nigerian? Dude put his heart into that build

[@kevinm.8682]

I have a 95 Ford Ranger I'd would love to convert, but I can't get behind that kind of price tag. Something in the $3K - $5K range is duable, even though that's $2K - $3K times the value of the vehicle at this point.

[@XOPOIIIO]

In the future every job will be a hobby.

[@zabby113]

I like how this can be interpreted as a utopia or a dystopia depending on how optimistic you are as a person.

[@Mistro07]

How to complicate a working product. Much better title

[@LouisSubearth]

Electric powertrains are simpler though. Less moving parts, and less electronic components.

[@sunnyvale4088]

They should start by making kits for older fleet vehicles like the crown vic. Lots of space for batteries and it's a gas guzzler you still see often on the road.

[@RiVer-Parish]

I'm thinking about going electric but skeptical about taking a road trip from Louisiana to California in an electric car.

[@jasonpark1556]

Electric sucks, not worth it tbh

[@RiVer-Parish]

​@Ro Herms Thanks for the tip.

[@RiVer-Parish]

​@@jasonpark1556 😂

[@lordhoden]

@@smk99 what kinda cheap gas you have there? Because my toyota rav 4 has a range of 353 miles and if i need to fill up once I'll pay around 70€. Guess this is really dependent on where you live. PS: pls send some gas, im bleeding money here

[@thierryvt]

@Ro Herms 30 - 60 minutes? That's bs. Once you're charging it's gonna be 15-30 minutes max. The issue is that if you're going during a peak moment then you'll be queueing for an hour first lmao. Other than that? If you do a lot of roadtrips then I agree, stick with an ICE for a couple more years at least. But if you plan to mainly use it for commuting and you can charge at home then EVs cannot be beat. Since 99% of your charging is at home I also wouldn't care too much about the cost of fast charging. If a full charge costs a couple bucks at home, and you only roadtrip once or twice a year at a higher cost for fast charging, then your overall "fuel cost" is still going to be MUCH lower than the fuel cost of an ICE. The purchase cost is another factor, EVs are more expensive than ICE cars. So if you're looking for something cheap then EVs aint it boss. At least not yet. So if you want my opinion: If you do lots of roadtrips, want a cheap running car, or can't charge at home? Go ICE or Hybrid. Primarily commuting, and you have a driveway for home charging, and you were looking in that price bracket anyway? Go EV.

[@0Aus]

Great way to destroy a quality vehicle.

[@vNYCblade]

In Eastern Europe large vehicles and regular sedan type vehicles have been converted to natural gas from gasoline for YEARS... some have converted to a Natural Gas Generator Electric vehicle, basically a kind of hybrid with a small natural gas optimized engine to simply power an onboard generator and a small battery to store 5-10 kwh... you end up with an ELECTRIC DRIVE, Natural Gas Hybrid POWER vehicle... its the best option... no need to completely redo electric wiring... no need to get a lot of batteries... most of the conversion is happening under the hood and switching out the powertrain... thats it

[@SJ-xg1uf]

Just curious, can you do the same thing with a 2005 Chevy?

[@Liam1694u]

Big difference between old hotrod and EV conversions. Risk of high voltage shock ⚡🫨⚡ Just be careful out there.

[@Tron-Jockey]

Depends. If using an AC motor (as in Tesla and most other modern EV's), then the use of a 400V or 800V 3-phase inverter is necessary along with a HV battery pack. But some EV drag racing applications still prefer DC which can use much lower voltages. The trade off in either case is amperage. For any given Hp the less voltage used the more amperage needed. However, power robbing line/wire/cable/connector resistance and resulting heat becomes the issue when pushing more amperage. Better to go with higher voltages and less amperage.

[@onwugharablessing8264]

*The stock market rally run is gone, but I'm not sure if equities will swiftly recover, keep falling or swing in a narrow range for a few weeks, or if things will quickly get worse. I'm under pressure to increase my $250k reserve*.

[@josephlee4001]

Despite my confidence in your advice, my recent stock purchases, and the fact that I am an AMC shareholder, I haven't been able to accumulate anything. I had already been in the hole for too long prior to the downturn. What's the investing procedure?

[@denisdavid342]

It's true that many people downplay the value of financial gurus until they experience emotional pain. After a protracted divorce, I can still clearly remember needing encouragement to keep my business afloat. Several summers ago, I researched license advisors-or portfolio coaches, as some peo

[@justinscott6855]

Jackson Sten Marsh is the coach that guides, you probably might've come across he before I found him through a Newsweek report, he's quite known in he field, look-him up.

[@expertkanejames1857]

I promptly did some research on Jackson past. He can control herself well. He credentials are solid, and it seems like he was the subject of a careful examination. Foreign investors from countries other than the United States can also use his services

[@evolv.e]

Smart. Looking forward to driving some classics in electrified form ⚡️

[@bernardobenedicto8797]

How about econoline converted. It has a lot of under chassis space for battery storage

[@Snaple2013]

The "fuel" EVs use isn't just the electrical energy. The batteries have to be included since they hold the energy, take a lot of resources to create and take up most of the weight of the vehicle

[@ianhamilton3113]

But they are from damaged, beyond repair vehicles.

[@marc-andreservant201]

This is only true for manufacturing new EV batteries from mined lithium and cobalt. Once you already have a battery and it needs replacement, hopefully its lithium and cobalt will be recycled into new batteries just like gasoline engines are melted down to make new engines.

[@andrewdiamond2697]

Yes. and your point is?

[@tpike32]

@@marc-andreservant201 one thing to note . The ones that don’t make it to recycling, end up in landfills . A gasoline engine will do zero harm . While a used old lithium battery will .

[@lexcorp1516]

I fully expect angry boomers to flood the comments lol

[@jasonpark1556]

You def don't know anything about cars then

[@swilleh_]

look! a non car guy think that he is smarter than everyone else!

[@ramblin327]

Not a boomer. Doesn’t matter what generation you are from this is destroying classics pure and simple.

[@MBarberfan4life]

I'm not a boomer, but even if I were, that doesn't mean EVs are the future. That's a fallacy.

[@Simon-dm8zv]

@@MBarberfan4life EVs are the future.

[@TheStewieGriffinShow]

What would the range be that I would expect to pay to convert to EV?

[@tracyjohnson5486]

Hope to see more of this. I always thought it would be a matter of time before someone jumped on this. Great idea.

[@mw66683]

"How to complicate your life"

[@es6544]

If nature is so precious, why are we converting hundreds of passender planes into cargo fleet ($30 million a piece) to deliver Amazon parcels?

[@jjackson3240]

Hmm. Good thought. Those items have to get to their destinations one way or another. I wonder if less resources are used by Amazon with drivers on routes delivering hundreds of packages through neighborhoods or by hundreds of cars making two way trips to stores to pick up those packages. Good thing to research.

[@zabby113]

I have no idea what this has to do with electric cars. Anyway, if you buy at Walmart or Best Buy or Amazon it all comes from China and gets there by boat and plane. Amazon is just establishing its own delivery service rather than using FedEx or UPS. Electric airplanes are already at the prototype stage, and are likely to be a thing for short-haul flights in the 2030s.

[@bryanmccallum4614]

Great idea to keep the old cars and trucks on the road ! 🤔

[@pauldannelachica2388]

Very cool a second life for old vehicles

[@ramblin327]

Step 1 Don’t do it Step 2 buy a new EV if you have to. The only classic car that would benefit from electric and not ruin it would be a Delorean.

[@andrewdiamond2697]

The Delorean would be maybe the best candidate, since it was originally a pretty slow car.