Will we be able to convert retro cars to electric?
Discussion
I wonder if one day we will be able to convert our cool retro cars to electric?
I wonder if it would ever be possible in terms of engineering to convert something like a BMW E30 , or Peugeot 306 to electric. I wonder what the outrageous cost would be for such a project.
Also, opinions of "cool retro" aside
I wonder if it would ever be possible in terms of engineering to convert something like a BMW E30 , or Peugeot 306 to electric. I wonder what the outrageous cost would be for such a project.
Also, opinions of "cool retro" aside
2cool2cool said:
Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
plenty of people are already doing it.
Probably not many converting a £2000 306 though.I think it just depresses me slightly the thought of everyone driving around in the same SUV s
tbox
2cool2cool said:
I guess what I was really wanted to know was if something like a 306 would be too small to convert.
Also, whether a new retro style car could be made, or if safety constraints limit the possibility of something being styled just like an E30
What do you mean by retro style?Also, whether a new retro style car could be made, or if safety constraints limit the possibility of something being styled just like an E30
You can get classic Minis converted into electric, so size isn't a barrier (although I assume they only have a modest range).
You can also register those mk1 Ford Escort replicas as brand new, so there's certainly no need for modern crash standards on cars registered under the SVA scheme (or whatever it is called these days).
You can also register those mk1 Ford Escort replicas as brand new, so there's certainly no need for modern crash standards on cars registered under the SVA scheme (or whatever it is called these days).
Have you heard of vintage voltage?I think you'd like it 
they did a mini and a 500 so would have thought you could do a 306.
I've had the same thoughts too, I love the mk4 golf but wouldn't fancy a 2 hour motorway trip in one but then don't think it would have the same appeal if it drove like a 2023 version either
they did a mini and a 500 so would have thought you could do a 306. I've had the same thoughts too, I love the mk4 golf but wouldn't fancy a 2 hour motorway trip in one but then don't think it would have the same appeal if it drove like a 2023 version either
It must be an age thing. Pug 306 as a classic? Now 205Gti maybe.
But why?
There is a guy converting Testarossas to EV but the original wasn't a great car to start with and could be picked up for high £30s. The EV version is only marginally heavier and significantly quicker.
I'd be thinking MGB, Gilbert Invader, Scimitar or maybe an old Zephyr/Zodiac. I can see a conversion as at least £50K
I dislike SUVs but await some good looking EV cars. They will come.
But why?
There is a guy converting Testarossas to EV but the original wasn't a great car to start with and could be picked up for high £30s. The EV version is only marginally heavier and significantly quicker.
I'd be thinking MGB, Gilbert Invader, Scimitar or maybe an old Zephyr/Zodiac. I can see a conversion as at least £50K
I dislike SUVs but await some good looking EV cars. They will come.
Truckosaurus said:
You can get classic Minis converted into electric, so size isn't a barrier (although I assume they only have a modest range).
You can also register those mk1 Ford Escort replicas as brand new, so there's certainly no need for modern crash standards on cars registered under the SVA scheme (or whatever it is called these days).
That maybe the case but our cars back then did horrible things to us in a crash and quite often squished or impaled the occupants. An EV will be much much quicker so I like the idea of some protection. You can also register those mk1 Ford Escort replicas as brand new, so there's certainly no need for modern crash standards on cars registered under the SVA scheme (or whatever it is called these days).
Silvanus said:
2cool2cool said:
I guess what I was really wanted to know was if something like a 306 would be too small to convert.
Also, whether a new retro style car could be made, or if safety constraints limit the possibility of something being styled just like an E30
What do you mean by retro style?Also, whether a new retro style car could be made, or if safety constraints limit the possibility of something being styled just like an E30
Nomme de Plum said:
It must be an age thing. Pug 306 as a classic? Now 205Gti maybe.
But why?
There is a guy converting Testarossas to EV but the original wasn't a great car to start with and could be picked up for high £30s. The EV version is only marginally heavier and significantly quicker.
I'd be thinking MGB, Gilbert Invader, Scimitar or maybe an old Zephyr/Zodiac. I can see a conversion as at least £50K
I dislike SUVs but await some good looking EV cars. They will come.
Not a classic I agree. What it actually is, is an old car thats the closest thing to a classic on a £2000 budget that's still easy to get parts for. But why?
There is a guy converting Testarossas to EV but the original wasn't a great car to start with and could be picked up for high £30s. The EV version is only marginally heavier and significantly quicker.
I'd be thinking MGB, Gilbert Invader, Scimitar or maybe an old Zephyr/Zodiac. I can see a conversion as at least £50K
I dislike SUVs but await some good looking EV cars. They will come.
Ps. I have bad taste.
A lancia delta intergrale is more my kinda thing, if I had more money..
I know it's not retro in any way whatsoever but seeing as there is a dearth of properly small electric vehicles coming to market (the 500 is the closest but has 0 internal luggage space) I plan to convert my current 2013 Fabia to electric when the time comes that it's either banned from the roads or petrol becomes too expensive/unavailable. It's the perfect size for me, comfy enough for a day's travel and safe enough in a crash without all the latest nanny crap. I reckon with a bit of clever packaging there should be enough room for batteries to give me a 200 mile range, especially if I delete the rear seats which have only been used twice! I imagine there will be a lot of people in similar situations.
The only thing stopping you converting now is money; plenty of older motors have been converted already, there are generic kits available for the powertrain and if you colour inside the lines the DVLA should leave you alone. Start drilling a lot of holes and altering structures and there's a risk of it being declared radically altered and requiring IVA; this does make fitting a reasonable volume of battery in a chore with some cars as if you want the bootspace you're stuck shoehorning cells into spare wheel wells or into the void left by the fuel tank. The main stumbling block appears to be for 2001-2017 cars as the govt have decided that these vehicles cannot benefit from EV road tax, although if you're willing to just pay the legacy ICE tax it's still doable. A 306 should be easy enough to do, the biggest challenge will be stopping the shell dissolving as they do like to rust.
Possible yes. Cheap no.Drive-train swaps, unless to another unit from the same manufacturer which shares hard-point locations, are never heap and an EV conversion will be no different. On top of the components (which themselves wont be cheap) you'll need custom subframes manufactured for the drive unit and battery pack; probably custom drive-shafts fabricated (unless you keep the original gearbox, in which case you'll need a custom adapter plate of some sort);...
To give an idea, there's a small but thriving trade in converting old K-series Elises to Honda K20 engines and the cost typically runs to about £15k. That's using a set of parts which are made in at least reasonable numbers (tens of units) so expect a one-off EV conversion on something like a Peugeot 306 to be considerably more expensive.
2cool2cool said:
Not a classic I agree. What it actually is, is an old car thats the closest thing to a classic on a £2000 budget that's still easy to get parts for.
Ps. I have bad taste.
A lancia delta intergrale is more my kinda thing, if I had more money..
Watch world rally cross. The deltas look pretty good!Ps. I have bad taste.
A lancia delta intergrale is more my kinda thing, if I had more money..
AyBee said:
That happens now, without EVs being the majority of cars on the road.
Yes, but currently I can afford not to do that! Even if I could in the future afford to convert my 306... as someone else has said I'll have a problem stopping the shell dissolving!
Maybe if I win the Euromillions I could get a new 306 EV manufactured
2cool2cool said:
AyBee said:
That happens now, without EVs being the majority of cars on the road.
Yes, but currently I can afford not to do that! Even if I could in the future afford to convert my 306... as someone else has said I'll have a problem stopping the shell dissolving!
Maybe if I win the Euromillions I could get a new 306 EV manufactured
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