Would you have your ICE car converted to EV?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Tue 1 Dec 2020 17:52
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Trilogy.

If I had the ability I'd be tempted by £900. Even to have it done for several thousand pounds I can see people doing so. www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/how-put-e...0

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Tue 1 Dec 2020 18:02
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Engineer Andy

Wouldn't they need to be re-tested for safety, given part of the crumple zone make-up would've been changed significantly. Besides, where would all the batteries go in a conventional car?

Normally, EVs have them stowed in the are under the floor - not possible in a conventional car. The only other location would be the boot, but wouldn't putting them there would severely compromise the weight distribution and boot capacity? It's bad enough for hybrids when the battery levels are very small in comparison.

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Tue 1 Dec 2020 20:02
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Sofa Spud

Converting IC cars to EVs is only ever going to be a niche market, I reckon.

As electric cars become more popular more and more will filter down the secondhand market and become affordable to those on a tight budget. So when EVs have become relatively cheap on the secondhand market would there be any point in using them as donor cars to convert Astras and Mondeos and suchlike into EVs?

At the moment there's a bit of a fad for converting classic cars into EVs. Even E-Type Jaguars and Aston Martins have been converted. But when most of use are driving EVs as our regular cars I reckon the fad will die out.

Edited by Sofa Spud on 01/12/2020 at 20:04

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Tue 1 Dec 2020 20:31
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Trilogy.

Wouldn't they need to be re-tested for safety, given part of the crumple zone make-up would've been changed significantly. Besides, where would all the batteries go in a conventional car?

Normally, EVs have them stowed in the are under the floor - not possible in a conventional car. The only other location would be the boot, but wouldn't putting them there would severely compromise the weight distribution and boot capacity? It's bad enough for hybrids when the battery levels are very small in comparison.

Couldn't the batteries be put where the fuel tank would be? I believe the Mazda MX-5 which was converted to EV has a weight distribution virtually identical to the original ICE version.

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Thu 3 Dec 2020 13:46
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Engineer Andy

Wouldn't they need to be re-tested for safety, given part of the crumple zone make-up would've been changed significantly. Besides, where would all the batteries go in a conventional car?

Normally, EVs have them stowed in the are under the floor - not possible in a conventional car. The only other location would be the boot, but wouldn't putting them there would severely compromise the weight distribution and boot capacity? It's bad enough for hybrids when the battery levels are very small in comparison.

Couldn't the batteries be put where the fuel tank would be? I believe the Mazda MX-5 which was converted to EV has a weight distribution virtually identical to the original ICE version.

But the MX-5 is hardly what you'd call a 'typical car', is it? Where exactly did all the batteries go? In the boot, which was hardly known for its size beforehand. I can't believe they could go in the chassis under the seats because the car wasn't designed to safely contain them in the event of a crash, as specially-designed EVs are.

How did the engineers get the drive fitted, given the car is RWD and they'd have to either fit motors to each wheel on the rear or have one fitted directly under the boot, reducing its capacity, or go back to using the centre shaft of original car - design-wise, which reduces efficiency.

It would be nice to see the details of this build to see exactly what they did and how it went afterwards (especially handling).

The key to retrofitting will be miniturising batteries (including reducing their weight overall significantly) to the extent that they can be sited in a very convenient spot and which is fully protected from crashes and that doesn't impinge on load/passenger space.

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 11:58
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - mcb100

You'd expect serious amounts of paperwork if it was a manufacturer offering the conversion, but this is a private company so it'll just need to meet the requirements of an MOT (or equivalent).

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 12:11
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - sammy1

I cannot see how this would be road legal. Surely the weight distribution of the car would be fundamentally be altered which in turn would upset the steering and suspension. If you were to try this I suspect that the car would have to be re-assessed by the Gov agency and re registered as a totally new vehicle.

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 12:23
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - mcb100

There's a thriving market in the UK offering EV conversions of classics. Check out Electric Classic Cars - Beetles, Fiat 500, Range Rover and others.

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 13:47
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Trilogy.

Surely the weight distribution of the car would be fundamentally be altered which in turn would upset the steering and suspension.

No. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZws7kE3U5k

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 15:01
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - sammy1

OK but if this is not the case how can you take say a high emissions diesel to a zero EV and not have to prove to HMG that your car is now tax free? I cannot see how a conversion could save any money other than being a project.

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 15:41
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Bolt

OK but if this is not the case how can you take say a high emissions diesel to a zero EV and not have to prove to HMG that your car is now tax free? I cannot see how a conversion could save any money other than being a project.

iirc the converted vehicle has to be re registered with proof of parts used and photos of original and converted car...but could be wrong, I suspect someone will know better?

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 16:02
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - mcb100

I've not read it end to end, but this is the process - www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration/radically-altered-...s

More info here - www.drivingelectric.com/your-questions-answered/12...r

Edited by mcb100 on 02/12/2020 at 16:04

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 16:07
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Trilogy.

I cannot see how a conversion could save any money other than being a project.

It's not all about saving ££.

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Wed 2 Dec 2020 22:09
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - alan1302

OK but if this is not the case how can you take say a high emissions diesel to a zero EV and not have to prove to HMG that your car is now tax free? I cannot see how a conversion could save any money other than being a project.

If it costs £900 and you then don't have any petrol/diesel costs I'd think it would not take too long to recoup that.

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Thu 3 Dec 2020 12:04
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Trilogy.

If it costs £900 and you then don't have any petrol/diesel costs I'd think it would not take too long to recoup that.

That's only if you DIY.

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Thu 3 Dec 2020 14:52
Would you have your ICE car converted to EV? - Chris M

There's a local chap who has converted a MK1 Micra to electric. I've only ever seen it being driven within a few miles of home and I've no idea how he did it or what he used, but it seems to keep up with other traffic and doesn't whine like a Mk1 Leaf or emit the tyre noise of a Tesla.

I guess the interesting bit is he made the conversion around 15 years ago.

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If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?