EV conversion can breathe new life into beloved older models of cars.(Supplied: Ken Macken)
At the beginning of winter, Ken Macken took the highway out to Chinchilla in Queensland's Western Downs to buy a 40-year-old ute — a dodgy-looking Datsun upholstered with strips of carpet and sheet metal.
By the time spring arrived, Mr Macken had converted the retro clunker into a snazzy little electric vehicle (EV), able to surge to 100 kilometres per hour in under six seconds (something the petrol version would have never achieved).He dubbed the two-door electric runabout the "Dasla".
"There's a lot of people out there who love their classic cars, but don't want the issues of internal combustion engines," he says.
"Old cars look beautiful and new cars all look the same."
From suburban garages to professional workshops, Australians are popping car bonnets and stripping out petrol and diesel motors, fuel tanks and gear boxes, mufflers and exhausts.
In place of these greasy, soot-stained parts, they're installing banks of lithium-ion batteries and small, but powerful, electric motors.
Though not cheap, EV conversion, or "electro modding", is booming in popularity.
Often, it's a way of breathing new life into beloved older models — a way of having a classic car without the fumes and breakdowns.
Some hope this change is just the start: they look forward to a time when conversions can be done cheaply and at mass scale. They believe that at least some of the petrol cars being sold today may see out their time on the road as converted electric ones - ABC.net Australia - link - James Purtill - link - more like this - link
"Old cars look beautiful and new cars all look the same."
From suburban garages to professional workshops, Australians are popping car bonnets and stripping out petrol and diesel motors, fuel tanks and gear boxes, mufflers and exhausts.
In place of these greasy, soot-stained parts, they're installing banks of lithium-ion batteries and small, but powerful, electric motors.
Though not cheap, EV conversion, or "electro modding", is booming in popularity.
Often, it's a way of breathing new life into beloved older models — a way of having a classic car without the fumes and breakdowns.
Some hope this change is just the start: they look forward to a time when conversions can be done cheaply and at mass scale. They believe that at least some of the petrol cars being sold today may see out their time on the road as converted electric ones - ABC.net Australia - link - James Purtill - link - more like this - link
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