Electric 2CV

Ditzy_Mitzy

NBLondon said:

BOWFER said:

Getting back to the point of the the thread, there's a growing cottage industry in people converting classic cars to EVs.
Like one twitter post I saw yesterday, an ancient Land rover that can now do 0-60 in 4 seconds.
As much as I love electric cars, i don't get this aspect of it at all.

Do you mean electric classics in general or that specific oddity?    No I can't see any sense in a Series LR with that sort of performance; I can just about see https://lunaz.design/cars/range-rover-classic as a way of keeping your classic going.

If like me, you'd love to have a classic and (also like me) are no good at repairing them - then I can see the appeal of a classic Mini or an MGB updated and converted to electric.  It might well be a hobby / weekend car but if you already have a suitable charge point for your everyday electric SUV, why not?   I'd expect the kit car makers to possibly get in on the act if  the powertrains are available.   There might be a point where an electric Caterham makes sense - you'd have limited range from fewer batteries (otherwise the weight would be a problem) but for a weekend toy it might not matter.

Electric converted classic cars are rather Switched-On Bach, I think.  It sort of does the same thing, but only offers a tiny fraction of the real experience and emotional engagement.  Much of the pleasure of driving old cars comes from actually having to drive the things, warts and all.  

AdrianC

There are classics where the engine is incidental to the whole joy of the thing, and there are classics where it's absolutely integral.

The DS is a good example of the former - it's a horrible old boat anchor, and was never meant to be there in the first place. The flat six engines Citroen were developing were state-of-the-art, but weren't ready... so they held over the lump from the Traction. By all means electrify them.

A 2cv is a good example of the latter. That glorious flat twin is just part of the thing. Same as a Ferrari or yank muscle car. Sure, you can electrify them (people have been building electric 2cvs since the 90s), but you're simply missing something.

BOWFER

NBLondon said:

BOWFER said:

Getting back to the point of the the thread, there's a growing cottage industry in people converting classic cars to EVs.
Like one twitter post I saw yesterday, an ancient Land rover that can now do 0-60 in 4 seconds.
As much as I love electric cars, i don't get this aspect of it at all.

Do you mean electric classics in general or that specific oddity?    No I can't see any sense in a Series LR with that sort of performance; I can just about see https://lunaz.design/cars/range-rover-classic as a way of keeping your classic going.

If like me, you'd love to have a classic and (also like me) are no good at repairing them - then I can see the appeal of a classic Mini or an MGB updated and converted to electric.  It might well be a hobby / weekend car but if you already have a suitable charge point for your everyday electric SUV, why not?   I'd expect the kit car makers to possibly get in on the act if  the powertrains are available.   There might be a point where an electric Caterham makes sense - you'd have limited range from fewer batteries (otherwise the weight would be a problem) but for a weekend toy it might not matter.

I don't get the appeal of electrifying any classic car, TBH.
But I am very specific about my EVs, I won't have one that can also have an ICE version (Golf/Kona etc.)
has to be very specifically a from-the-drawing-board electric car (Leaf/Zoe etc)

greyteam1959

lemondrops69 said:

greyteam1959 said:

I stand corrected.................

Said the man in the orthopedic shoes

Funniest thing I have heard for years !!
😁😁😁

Goudy

AdrianC said:

There are classics where the engine is incidental to the whole joy of the thing, and there are classics where it's absolutely integral.

The DS is a good example of the former - it's a horrible old boat anchor, and was never meant to be there in the first place. The flat six engines Citroen were developing were state-of-the-art, but weren't ready... so they held over the lump from the Traction. By all means electrify them.

A 2cv is a good example of the latter. That glorious flat twin is just part of the thing. Same as a Ferrari or yank muscle car. Sure, you can electrify them (people have been building electric 2cvs since the 90s), but you're simply missing something.

I've got to agree, some classics are crying out for an electric conversion while others ceritainly aren't.
I watched in horror a programme where they ripped that glorious narrow angle V4 out of a Lancia Fuliva and fitted an electric motor.

I get the idea, it's perhaps cleaner, greener, even faster and the money invested by the owner will certianly see it live a lot longer that it ever should, but I can't help thinking it was pure vandalism.

At the end of the show I thought all they were left with was a jam donut without the jam!

[Deleted User]

What are the rules regarding Type Approval etc for converting one off vehicles to electric ? Things such as ROAD TAX - Would this automatically get zero rated ?

Username03725

Citreon can't just restart production of the 2CV and swap the engine for a motor. Modern cars have to meet a whole raft of legislation re safety design. And for a lot of us they weren't cute, they were ridiculous stupid-looking cars that belonged on farms in rural France, not UK city centres. 

NBLondon

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

Electric converted classic cars are rather Switched-On Bach, I think.  It sort of does the same thing, but only offers a tiny fraction of the real experience and emotional engagement.  Much of the pleasure of driving old cars comes from actually having to drive the things, warts and all.  

It depends...   That is the case for some - and having the right road to enjoy it helps.    But for some it's the style and the image that appeals together with the convenience of modern upgrades.  There's already that market e.g. https://frontlinedevelopments.com/  for a rather expensive MGB  so an electric variant https://rbwevcars.com/models-rbw-roadster-gt/ could also appeal.

Ditto with the engine being the thing for some.    What makes an AC Cobra so desirable?  Is it the looks or is it the V8?  There were plenty of replicas that didn't have the noise but people bought them for the look.   What's the key thing about a Caterham?  Is it the engine noise - or is it the driving experience?  If an electric version still has the acceleration and the handling - some will say that's the experience they want.

BOWFER

Engine noise...you've got me started now (excuse the pun)
As much as I like cars and motorbikes, what an absolutely ridiculous and childish thing to say will be missed in the future.
For every driver/rider 'enjoying' the sound of their vehicle, there's 10 people they're passing who think they're a bell-end.
I cannot WAIT until engine noise is a thing of past.

AdrianC

Deleted_User said:

What are the rules regarding Type Approval etc for converting one off vehicles to electric ? Things such as ROAD TAX - Would this automatically get zero rated ?

No type approval needed. Single vehicle approval if the body and chassis are modified beyond a certain point.

VED can be taken to £0, but not automatically. 1980s cars will be £0 historic in the very near future anyway, and 1970s and earlier already are.