Electromod

Historically, these used existing technology such as surplus aircraft starter motors and lead-acid batteries; these efforts were driven by ecological and financial reasons to increase efficiency and avoid using fossil fuels, with renewed interest piqued by the oil crises in 1973 and again in 1979.

[8][9] Many non-factory electromods are implemented by extracting and adapting the drivetrain or individual components (traction motor(s), battery, controller, and inverter) from an existing mass-produced EV, such as Tesla.

The ElectroVair used a 680 lb (310 kg) traction battery with silver-zinc chemistry, providing a range of 80 mi (130 km) but with a low number of charging cycles and at a high cost (estimated at US$15,000 (equivalent to $137,000 in 2023) in 1967).

[20] AM General converted 350 DJ-5E Electrucks for the United States Postal Service; these delivery vehicles used an EV powertrain to eliminate a mobile source of pollution.

[21] GM continued to develop prototype EVs based on conventional cars, including the 1979 Electrovette, a converted Chevette with twenty 12-volt batteries weighing a total of 920 lb (420 kg) providing a range of 30 mi (48 km).

At the time, GM President Pete Estes said the new chemistry "will make electric vehicles viable alternatives to gasoline or diesel cars and trucks".

[26][27] It is built on a Jerry Bickel Pro Stock chassis with the body of a 2003 Pontiac Firebird and is powered by two AMRacing A/C electric traction motors producing approximately 900 hp (670 kW) and 600 lb⋅ft (810 N⋅m) of torque.

The electric traction motor essentially served as a drop-in replacement with the same bellhousing bolt pattern and crankshaft flange as the LS engine family, so the car retained the same transmission, driveshaft, and axles as the conventional COPO Camaro.

[33] For SEMA 2020, Chevrolet showcased the "Electric Connect and Cruise" eCrate package, which included the main drivetrain components of a single Bolt EV (motor, battery, controller, and inverter), and was demonstrated as a retrofit to a restored 1977 K5 Blazer.

[39] Final assembly and integration of the F-100 Eluminator was performed by McCue-Lane electric Race Cars (MLe), a shop operated as a partnership between Pat McCue and racer Jeff Lane.

Hyundai Motor Corporation won praise from the press for its Heritage Series electromods presented in 2021, which include a Pony[40] and Grandeur,[41] both restored and repowered as EVs and carrying that brand's "Parametric Pixel" design language applied to its Ioniq sub-brand.

[42] Additional factory electromods shown recently include conversions of a Maserati Shamal (November 2020),[43] the Manta A previously mentioned (May 2021),[44] and Renault 5 Diamant and Turbo 3E one-offs (2022).