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• These vehicles are all powered by all-electric motors.
• A company in the United States specialises in doing electric conversions.
• No one in South Africa as of yet has attempted to build a fully-electric vehicle.
• For more stories, visit Wheels24.
In the world of racing and performance, there are many ways in which to attain more speed.
Naturally aspirated or big displacement tuning and forced induction are the standard methods while going the nitrous route is a viable option as well.
Power minus the noise
Tesla is the front-runner in the electric power department as their model range consists of only electric vehicles like the Model S, Model X and Model 3. And according to Autotrader's latest 2021 Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey despite Elon Musk's cars still not being available locally, the interest in Tesla still overrides the desire for any other available electric car brand here.
Would you perform an all-electric conversion in your car or is it too expensive to even consider? Please Email us, or use the comments section below.
With the motoring world slowly but surely transitioning into an electro-mobile future, there are numerous benefits from electric motors. One of them is the release of zero emissions, while the other is the vast amount of power available almost instantly.
While many petrolheads still enjoy the thrill and sound combustion engines offer, there are a select few that have gone against the grain and swapped their standard engines in place of electric ones.
For those who have watched the Fastest Car show on Netflix, a gentleman in Season 1, Episode 7, John Wayland pilots a 1972 Datsun 1200 fitted with a custom-built, all-electric powertrain.
A San Diego-based company called EV West carries out electric swaps on numerous vehicles, including classics, generally using salvaged Tesla motors as the primary source of power.
Normal combustion performance engines are still the primary source power for petrolheads but in the future things will look and sound very different.
A front and rear drive electric unit of a Tesla Model S sells for around R40 000 on eBay. The only snag locally would be making everything operate as it should because EV units are very much in its infancy in South Africa.
WATCH | This boy built a cute Tesla Cybertruck costume and it actually Transforms
The likes of Porsche, BMW, and Jaguar have already started rolling out their EV models locally but realistically, owning one is not financially feasible for most South Africans.
One of the biggest possible drawbacks is the scenario where pedestrians are not being able to hear when an EV is approaching because they emit nothing but a whir. Artificial engine sounds or a hooter system have been mooted as possible solutions.
Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line SA will have its first and own purpose-built, all-electric race car. It won't be very noisy but who cares - as long as its fast!
Check out some of these cars that have undergone electric motor conversions:
1. BMW E36 M3
2. Porsche 912
