Shocking the System: Classic Cars Enter the Electric Age
By Roland Dupuy — May 2024
Being a car fan while also caring about environmentalism and reducing emissions can often be a tough balancing act — but the conversion process, while still very much in its early days and rather expensive, does offer hope, and ultimately aims to allow future generations to enjoy classic automotive icons without the grizzly specter of emissions and gas-guzzling. “Everrati was born out of a passion for both classic cars and sustainability. Our founder, Justin Lunny, identified a gap in the market for preserving classic automotive heritage while embracing the future of mobility,” Brown adds. “With a team of skilled engineers and enthusiasts, Everrati was established to bring classic cars into the electric era, offering high-performance, zero-emission alternatives to petrol-powered classics.”
Speaking of balancing acts, the conversions themselves often require extensive planning and evaluation of virtually every component on the car, as the original cars were designed with internal combustion in mind, while electric power has its own set of design needs — space for battery packs and a charging port, for example. For Everrati, though, the custom approach is part of the adrenaline rush. “Every project presents its own set of challenges, but one that stands out is our work on the classic Porsche 911. Balancing the iconic design of the 911 with the demands of modern electric propulsion required innovative engineering solutions and meticulous attention to detail,” Brown shares. “The result has been a breathtaking electric sports car that honors the heritage of the Porsche brand while delivering exhilarating performance and zero emissions.
Brown’s point about performance isn’t just bragging, either — the numbers don’t lie. The original combustion Porsche 911 averaged about 247 brake horsepower, while Everrati’s electric version boasts a generous 500. In terms of acceleration, that means Everrati’s 911 goes from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds, leaving the original internal combustion car and its 5.5 seconds in the dust.
Everrati recently got to deploy their conversion technology on one of the most coveted classic cars on the market today — the Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda, originally released in 1963 at the Geneva Motor Show. An effortlessly-classy icon of German design, the SL Pagoda continues to be revered to this day, and has counted numerous celebrity owners over the years, from Charlton Heston, John Lennon and Sofia Loren, to Kate Moss, John Travolta and Priscilla Presley. “From the timeless elegance of the Mercedes Benz Pagoda we have recently created [...] to vintage Aston Martins, iconic Jaguars or a legendary Ferrari, our dream is to breathe new life into these iconic vehicles,” Brown states.
Wiltshire-based Silent Classics and Wales-based Electric Classic Cars are part of the conversion club, too, and have pulled off a number of impressive conversion projects, helping to bolster the credibility of the movement. From Silent Classics’ iconic Datsun 240Z and Bentley S2, to Electric Classic Cars’ stunning Ferrari Testarossa and Jensen Interceptor, among others, the cars are hitting the road, turning heads, and, hopefully, inspiring a new generation of electric car-lovers.
“The principles of electrification can be applied to virtually any vehicle platform”
STEVE BROWN, HEAD OF PR, EVERRATI
STEVE BROWN, HEAD OF PR, EVERRATI
While it may be seen as a highly-exclusive, distracting pastime for the rich car-obsessed crowd, there are promising signs that, with some finetuning and developed infrastructure, the process could be applied to the second-hand car market more broadly, which would have massive positive repercussions on the automotive industry as a whole. “The broader potential of electric propulsion extends far beyond classic cars. As concerns about air quality, emissions, and climate change intensify, the automotive industry is undergoing a profound shift towards electrification,” Brown says. “The principles of electrification can be applied to virtually any vehicle platform [...] With advancements in battery technology, charging infrastructure, and regulatory support, we envision a future where electric conversions play a significant role in mainstream transportation,” he concludes.
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❄️ Andrea Juan Brings Art & Biology Together
Antarctica
🇩🇿 A Beacon of Eco-Urbanism in a Desert Oasis
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⚡️ Shocking the System: Classic Cars Enter the Electric Age
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💚 Safeguarding the Future of the Riverbed Jade
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🏙 Gothenburg: Rewriting the Future of Mobility
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🍷 Urban Wineries Show Us How Production Can Evolve
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⌚️ Watches Making Waves in Ocean Conservation
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🌻 In Toronto, Championing a Slow Fashion Revolution
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🖼 ArtBasel 2024 — The Eco-Artists to Watch
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By Roland Dupuy & friends
Est. 2023, London
Book 1 - Hope in Motion - Available soon