Electric Vehicle Conversions

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Classic Car Electric Conversions

Classic cars in New Zealand

The future is here, and for some of you, that future is electric. The market has a growing number of fully electric or EV cars available and it looks like this segment will continue to grow. What does that mean for our classic cars? Are they destined for the graveyard? Definitely not, even though many classic owners will want to maintain their combustion engines, there is a growing demand for fully electric or EV conversion for classic cars. The team at The Surgery can help you plan and build your fully electric classic vehicle so there is no reason that classic car owners cant have vintage style with the drive train of the future.

Authorised NetGain Motors, Inc. Dealer & Installer in New Zealand

EV Knowledge and Support

The Surgery is an Authorised Dealer and Installers for the full range of NetGain Motors. The AmP Motor, HyPer Motor, WarP Motor, ImPulse Motor and TransWarP Motor. The popular HyPer 9 motor, is the go-to for many of the custom electric vehicle conversion around the world. We offer a full range of options to convert your classic or modern vehicle. We are able to help design and build any setup to suit your project requirements.

Questions you may have about EV conversions

1. Can all classic cars be converted?

Yes, pretty much all classic cars can be converted to fully electric. From cars like MG Midgets, VW Beetles all the way up to VW Kombi’s and American pickup trucks.

2. What parts will be required?

There are two paths available to us, Fully electric or EV conversion kits if they are available for your vehicle or build a custom part list as required. As interest in this market continues to grow, more and more kits are becoming available around the world.

3. What are the benefits ?

Converting a classic car to a fully electric vehicle would not only save you money on fuel bills and ongoing maintenance and servicing costs as electric drive systems are generally maintenance-free. No more engine problems, just relax and enjoy a reliable vehicle.

4. What are the costs ?

It can depend if you want to use a kit or work to build something more custom. They vary from vehicle to vehicle, with the majority of the cost being the batteries. Every year the cost of batteries goes down, as demand and development continue.

5. What is required for certification / LVVTA?

Ev converted vehicles are considered modified vehicles. To make them road legal, LVVTA needs to inspect and approved all changes so that the vehicle is safe to use on New Zealand roads.

One big factor that comes into during the inspection is the final weight of the car, which can not exceed the gross weight of the chassis design. This can also limit the number of batteries (large weight components) and or reduce the number of seats in the vehicle (in some small cars) losing the rear passenger seats can free up 80kg per seat to be used for the EV weight calculations.

6. What range can I achieve from an electric conversion?

The range of EV converted vehicles is affected by many aspects, vehicle weight, running gear, motor type, number of batteries, and battery type. Every vehicle is different and every owner has different requirements. During your project discussion, we can work out what is your ideal range and calculate backwards for the equipment is required.

If you would like to dicsuss an EV conversion project?