A Classic-Car EV Conversion? Why the Hell Not?

Recently, I found myself in the passenger’s seat of an EV-converted 1989 Porsche 911 climbing a canyon hillside in Carmel Valley, California. From a stop sign, the car blasted forward like a bullet from a barrel. It was like nothing else on the road. And it turned every head we passed with its spaceship-like whoosh. All I could think to say was “Badass!”

This story originally appeared in Volume 20 of Road & Track.

There are all sorts of reasons why traditionalists turn their noses up at EV conversions of cars like this Porsche 964. But there are reasons to get onboard too. Number one: performance.

Just ask Rob Ward, the CEO of Legacy EV, a company that sells EV conversion kits and training solutions. He replaced the 429-cid V-8 of his personal 1966 Cadillac DeVille with three electric motors that produce over 1000 lb-ft of torque. “I didn’t have to worry about merging into traffic anymore,” he says. “Before, I needed a long runway. Now I could scoot out there with no problem.”

How about an electric vintage Volkswagen camper that can giddyap to 60 mph? Electric Classic Cars out of the U.K. built one. Or a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II turned EV that could beat a Prius in the quarter-mile? Another British company, Electrogenic, made one. Who wouldn’t want to hit the boulevard in either of those?

Here’s another reason why this phenomenon is cool: the one-of-one factor. Every gearhead wants a car that is like no one else’s. And every gearhead should be prepared to raise a middle finger at anyone who disapproves. That is what modification has always been about: tuning and tinkering until you’ve made something unique. The car is transformed into a vessel of memories, of the time you spent in the driver’s seat and under the hood.

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And then there is the simple argument of comfort and reliability. “Think about all the old cruiser hot rods, the Bel Airs and Lincolns out there that could be infinitely more comfortable and usable with an electric powertrain,” says Ali Javidan, founder and CEO of Range Energy, which makes electrified trailers for heavy-duty trucks. Javidan is a former head of vehicle prototyping at Tesla who has done close to 100 EV conversions. “There is a segment of people who enjoy the idiosyncrasies and unreliability of a classic car. It’s a constant work in progress. Then there are those who just want a classic car that will actually start reliably every morning with good A/C and heat.”

There is a way to do a conversion that can make a car a full experience, Javidan adds. “It’s not just propulsion but touchpoints.” Example: hiding digital switchgear behind the dash, so all you see are original analog switches that can operate things like Apple CarPlay and navigation maps.

EV conversions used to be a massive headache. That’s not necessarily true anymore. At press time, Ward is planning to drive a 1930 Model A into this year’s SEMA Show, have technicians from Legacy EV’s installer network convert it right in front of the crowds, and then drive it out under electric power with barely a sound. Some will love it; some will hate it. For my money? Badass.

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