Whenever we feature an EV conversion for classic cars we get a fairly negative postbag with words like SACRILEGE and NEVER. For our older readers (and our reader profile shows that the majority of our readers are 50+), having to convert a classic car to electric will not be an issue. But for those who have just got their driving licence it may well be a real issue. If we don’t find a way to keep our classic’s driving then they may end up like those forlorn horse drawn coaches that you see in stately homes.
Of course electric isn’t the only option, synthetic fuels could be the solution. Please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section at the end of the article.
British EV technology company Electrogenic, known for its classic car EV conversions, has fitted the first of its revolutionary ‘drop-in’ conversion kits to a customer’s classic Porsche 911. The electrified classic now combines clean performance with excellent everyday useability and total reliability.
The classic Porsche 911 conversion is just one option from the firm’s ‘drop-in’ kit range which includes EV solutions for the Land Rover, Jaguar E-Type and Triumph Stag. The kits are designed to be straightforward to install and fitted by a qualified technician. Slotting neatly into the existing architecture of the vehicle, they are also entirely reversible.
The first customer car was originally a 1985 G-Body, ‘backdated’ by the owner to evoke the iconic 2.7 RS. The E62 kit features a 160kW water-cooled motor which sends 215bhp and 230lb/ft to the rear wheels through an integrated single-speed, fixed ratio transmission. The 0-60 mph sprint is dispatched in less than 5 seconds – not dissimilar to a modern 911. A 240kW motor putting out 320bhp gives modern supercar levels of performance: 0-60 mph takes just 3.8 seconds. Both conversions deliver 180-200+ miles range in real world driving.
The packages have been extensively developed by Electrogenic’s engineering and software development teams to include all the modern features a driver could need. The 911 has carefully optimised Eco, Sport and Traffic profiles along with energy-recouping regen for the brakes and throttle. The settings are infinitely configurable and can be tailored to an owner’s specific requirements. A full charge via CCS takes around 50 minutes.
On a totally different subject, I have just taxed my classic car. My Road Fund Licence has increased, once again. £30 dearer than last year, £325 now. Last year, I did the sum total of 361 miles in my classic car.
I’ll cover a similar number of miles in it this year. This Daylight Robbery Tax. will cost me almost £1.00/mile. It’s time that the DVLA (I’m thinking of reporting the DVLA to the Police for theft, that is what this amounts to?) addressed this outrageous cost, after all, these days, they can see the exact milage we are covering in our classic cars from the MOT certificate and our Limited Mileage Insurance Certificates. I’m surprised that all the Owners Clubs haven’t got together and lobbied against the Government, regarding this ‘Highway Robbery Tax’. Even Dick Turpin didn’t get away with it for this long? Is the reason for these unreasonable increases due to all these wretched electric cars having subsidised road tax. If so, will my car tax steadily rise to £1,000,000,000/p.a to cover them when/if? the UK reaches 99% electric?
Regards, Michael.
How old is your classic? I have two classics from 1968 and1973 and I don’t pay road tax for either. I think it is 40 years for exemption so that would be 1983.
That’s all well and good for you!
ALL cars registered after 1975 are subject to a collosal road fund licence fee. Regardless of the millage they cover. This has been outrageous for too many years now for all the owners of post 1975 registered vehicles to ignore. It’s gone way beyond time that all classic car owners clubs got together and fought this outrageous theft. After all, we are all paying road tax on our ‘Every Day’ vehicles. Personally, I can only drive one car at a time?
Regards, Michael.