You Can Take This DeLorean EV Conversion into the Future

• Electrogenic develops EV conversion kit for the DMC-12, designed to be installed with minimal alterations, requiring no welding or cutting.

• The DMC-12 carries two battery packs, front and back, with a combined 43-kWh capacity, while gaining only 88 pounds in weight following the conversion process.

• The futuristic coupe can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, the company says, while offering a range of over 150 miles.

The original DMC-12 may have looked futuristic, but its PRV V6 didn't exactly make it the performance car that it was supposed to be. In fact, the performance aspects of the DMC-12 were, ahem, revised downward through its development, yielding a 130-hp car that was certainly drivable but perhaps not the most engaging coupe of its era.

It certainly helped that it was the Malaise Era outside and hardly anyone noticed, because so much of its domestic competition was just as dire.

Now that we're in the future that the DMC-12 tried to predict, is it time to give it another shot with an EV powertrain?

That's just what EV conversion specialist Electrogenic has developed for the DMC-12 in the style of a drop-in kit that doesn't require any significant alterations to the original car. In fact, it's designed to be installed in a plug-and-play manner.

And the demand for such a kit appears to have been here for some time.

"Since founding Electrogenic in 2018, we've seen a great deal of interest from around the world in the prospect of a DeLorean EV conversion. With its sci-fi design—still jaw-dropping over 40 years on—and underwhelming engine, it really is the perfect candidate for conversion to electric drive," said Steve Drummond, Electrogenic CEO.

The electric conversion kit features 43 kWh worth of batteries, designed to fit above the motor out back, as well as up front under the frunk luggage compartment. The electric motor sends 215 hp and 229 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels via a fixed ratio gearbox and transaxle, with the kit designed to work both with automatic and manual examples of the DMC-12.

The weight penalty of the conversion adds up to just 88 pounds, and regenerative braking is included as well.

"Electrogenic's engineers have also dialed configurability into the driving experience with a series of selectable drive profiles to suit different scenarios, from a range-enhancing 'Eco' mode, to sharpened 'Sport' setting for maximum performance," the company notes.

The results include sprints from 0 to 60 mph in under five seconds—a feat that the original required 10 seconds to accomplish. (The coupe's 0-to-88 mph may be more relevant for some owners). And there's a launch control mode as well.

The range, meanwhile, is estimated at just over 150 miles, so there are some limitations to the 43-kWh battery packs.

But one nice upside is that recharges will take just an hour via a CCS cable, with the car's electric system also offering vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability to power various appliances or recharge other cars.

The kit itself is designed to be installed by a network of company-approved shops, though the installation process is designed to be simple enough for many experienced shops to complete.

"When John DeLorean set out to make the DMC-12 over forty years ago, he was determined to create a sports car that was sustainable and would stand the test of time," Drummond adds. "An EV conversion therefore makes total sense and feels in keeping with the ethos of the original project."

With EV batteries continuously dropping in price while expected to gain energy density in the coming years, we suspect that EV conversions such as this will be in line to receive even more range. So 150 miles is merely what's available from one particular company today. We're still in the early years of such kits.

Whether the conversion kit becomes popular will depend on how DeLorean owners use their cars, though the $82,000 starting price will be a certain gatekeeper as well. Until recently, even nice examples were often worth about half this much.

Will EV conversions such as this prove popular for classic cars in the longer term, or will they remain relatively scarce due to their prices and other considerations? Let us know what you think in the comments below.