Kevin Erickson with his electrified 1972 Plymouth Satellite at his home in Colorado, the United States. Photos: AP
“RC cars are fast, so that’s kind of a compliment really,” said Erickson, whose renamed ”Electrollite” accelerates to 0-97kph in three seconds and tops out at about 249kph. It also invites curious stares at public charging stations, which are becoming increasingly common across the country.At the end of 2019, Erickson, a cargo pilot who lives in suburban Denver, Colorado, the United States, bought the car for US$6,500 .
Last May, the Michigan-based company conducted a web-based survey of about 25,000 self-identified automobile enthusiasts in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. About 1% had either partially or fully converted their classic to run on some sort of electrified drivetrain. But Klinger, who owns several vintage vehicles, said he doesn’t think electric motors will replace all internal combustion engines, especially when considering historically significant vehicles.
Sean Moudry, who co-owns Inspire EV, a small conversion business in suburban Denver, recently modified a 1965 Ford Mustang that was destined for the landfill. The year-and-a-half-long project cost more than US$100,000 and revealed several other obstacles that underscore why conversions are not “plug-and-play” endeavours.