How CHEAPLY Can You EV Convert Your Old Car?

In today's episode we see a very happy Jack behind the wheel of a freshly electrified classic Mini, and his beaming face tells you just how much fun he’s having!

Bristol based company Fellten, design and manufacture EV retro-fitting technology for all manner of classic cars, and with their base not far from the Fully Charged offices, Jack drops by to find out more, and ask the question “Will converting a classic car ever really be a viable option?” We hope so!!

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[speedstrn]

I'm really liking Jack's focus on getting cheaper, simpler. and less powerful EVs over the last couple episodes. All I want is an electric car that gets me where I need to go, not a luxury palace with a 5 second or less 0-60.

[gamertherapyconsoleyoursel]

A full conversion kit is exactly what I want, it feels like SUCH a waste to get rid of my old car, plus modern EVs are putting more and more stuff in them that I don't like and find excessive.

[waqasusmans]

1:13 "... will set you about 40, 000 Pounds in retrofitting components..."
Thanks for sharing the actual amount, and that too in the beginning!

[davidf]

3:06 Jack standing in front of that Mini compared with the cars he usually stands in front of really shows how stupendously huge modern cars have become.

[Milkshakman]

Please re-do this video every few years with updates! The more I think about it, the more obvious it is to me that this is the way to go for mass transition. New cars are such a colossal waste of resources. We need a parts economy, just like people have been fighting for with regards to cell phone repair.

[davidhaywood]

"Buzz bar" would be a good name for it (given the electrical shock risk), but it's actually a 'busbar'. (Busbar being a contraction of "omnibus bar" -- the bar which everything goes through.)

[mbak]

Four years ago I was quoted £20K for my MX5 to be EV converted. Instead this year I brought a two year old Zoe, with super low mileage for £16K. Price is key. A conversion is always going to be a compromise and price wise be competing with second hand EVs which are available at very competitive prices now.

[Alex-cwrz]

I do wish their was a big push for this, in a way of seeing as a performance enhancing kit, I feel like that would get a lot more people on board. Making hybrids and full electric.

[PierreAlainMaire]

I love your intro about how big we need our cars. Thank you Jack. Long life Fellten and similar-minded people !

[Patrick-jjnh]

What the Fellten chap says at the end is key: we essentially have 5 years or so to roll this out across the country if it should make any noticeable difference before people will just buy a new EV instead, so that means every MOT garage you see in your neighborhood should be able to order an off the shelf conversion kit for the respective model and re-do a combustion engine into an EV. Possible? Maybe, but it would need a serious government and all hands on deck approach.

[leifhietala]

It's quite a sight, seeing Jack fitted into the Mini with his legs still bolted on, and even so his head isn't up against the ceiling...and then him standing outside it and wondering just where _did_ the stick go? Because you know it was needed.

[MakerOnTheMove]

I love ev conversions and have one of my own, but I think it will largely be an enthusiast thing. Cost and labor are big, but there's also safety. I love the style and fun of older cars, but when it comes to daily driving and thinking about the safety of myself and my loved ones, I gotta admit that modern cars are much more likely to protect the occupants. And that's a huge factor. Plus, the cars that are best for converting are older pre computerizing of everything, which also means less safety features. Once you get to a newer car with more safety stuff, you have a lot more work to do as far as interfacing with software expecting an ICE engine and all the sensors involved with it. Which is why we talk about converting old Minis and Land Rovers, but not, say, a 2017 Sienna.

[The_Hero_Is_Back]

I think we all demand a YouTube short of Jack getting and out of a mini!!

[connclissmann]

In the early 80's, I sold personal computers for around £4000 per unit. The same PC with far greater ability is now £400 or even less. If you requested a custom PC to fit into a retro case, that would inevitably cost more. Thanks for the video and can we see the outtakes of you being eased into the Mini? 😊

[johnnodge]

Nicely put together video.
It's much more environmentally friendly to convert an existing ICE vehicle into a BEV. Unfortunately it's not easy, and the newer the doner, the harder it becomes.
After about 2000, more cars used CAN data buses to allow various modules to communicate. Removing the ICE and it's ECM causes all sorts of issues with data buses, giving warnings, codes and sometimes complete failure of other modules in the vehicle. This is the challenge to overcome, which will take many hours of diagnostics by some very smart technicians.
I've been involved with converting an old Freelander 1 from diesel to electric, using salvaged parts from other damaged BEV vehicles, and that's not gone to bad, mainly because the Freelander 1 systems are older and able to function as stand alone units, so the brakes still have ABS, and the speedometer still functions.
I'd like to do a similar conversion on my Freelander 2, but alas the electronics in that vehicle would pretty much prevent a BEV conversion at this time.

[hughbrommage]

Bang the drum “circular economy, circular economy” repeatedly and loud, may help open up your market. Love it.

[showme]

I've been watching Fellten from the very first video they made on YouTube when they converted a very yellow Mazda MX5. Glad to them here on Fully Charged well done Jack good to see you, re looking further a field than just those big SUV's. At 6' 2" I too can fit in a mini, without the stick and gel though, and it was just like driving a go cart great fun, loved it.

[colintwyning]

Fascinating. I wish HMG would boost these companies rather than big oil. (we know why) it is not a total solution but certainly fills a sector of the car ownership. Minis (original) were Superb. I think Issigonis would love this.He would lead the EV world, Simpler, Cheaper, Faster and more space!

[MrCarnage]

In the same vein of retrofitting,

I have always had an idea that I could just put a Tesla axle on the rear axle of my 09' FWD CR-V and have the controller and the battery fit to the boot, where there's plenty of storage space, and then use something like a thumb throttle leaver or something a like, electric bikes use to engage the battery powered axle.

That way I can drive EV when I want to or drive petrol for longer distances. Same concept of a plug-in hybrid but in this case retrofitting an older vehicle to run on either or, instead of in conjunction with each other.

[ImysGarage]

Hope it’s not too long a wait until these cost £10k or less. I have a list of cars I’d like to convert!