The reasoning behind electrified classic cars is that many owners don't actually care all that much for manual gearboxes and temperamental carburettors, and converting them to electric power makes them more usable. Anyway, if there's one thing we can agree on, it's surely that seeing more classic cars out and about is a good thing.
It would be a shame to rip out a naturally aspirated V12 and turn it into a coffee table, but the BMC A-series engine in the original Mini? That was always just a tool for a job.
If any EV-converted classic is going to work, it might well be this Mini Cooper from Electrogenic. All of the Oxfordshire firm's work is bespoke, but this is about as off-the-shelf as it gets. In fact, the car I'm driving here belongs to a company called Smallcarbigcity, which runs tours of London in classic Minis and plans to convert its entire fleet to electric.
Conversions start at £32,000 plus a donor car- and that's assuming it needs no other suspension or body work. It's a good thing that Minis aren't known for rusting, then...
For that money, you get 21kWh of Tesla Model S battery cells taking the place of the engine and fuel tank and enabling a range of 80-100 miles.
Denne historien er fra June 22, 2022-utgaven av Autocar UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra June 22, 2022-utgaven av Autocar UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
MG 4
An EV changes your driving style - but not to the detriment of pleasure
PEUGEOT E-208
Time with our French hatch is up. Is it good riddance or au revoir?
In the hot seat
Is the best automotive job in the world actually in miniature scale? Hot Wheels' design boss assures STEPHEN DOBIE it is
Correcting the record
Autocar invented the road test back in 1928 - or did we? KEITH JONES trawls the past to find the true starting point
Road test rebooted
As the Autocar road test forges into its second century, its brief is expanding and it's returning to a familiar place. MATT SAUNDERS explains
Cyber attack
MG is back on the international stage and now trying to return to its sports car roots. MATT SAUNDERS sees if the Cyberster EV can match up to a rival from the present and a relation from the past
KIA PICANTO
As rivals fall by the wayside, Kia's popular city car gets a makeover
MASERATI GRANTURISMO
Latest coupé in a long line of Maserati GT cars hits the UK with V6 power
PORSCHE CAYENNE GTS COUPE
New V8 model gets all the goodies
TOYOTA PRIUS
Back by popular demand with a cool new look and greater driver appeal
