How one can turn regular car into EV?

When you convert your regular car into an EV, it offers a new life for minimum half a decade in most cases maybe more.

India is transitioning to EV, rather quickly, it may be more of luxury than being a practical choice, at least in the 4-wheeler segment. The is also considering tightening the noose around the internal combustion engine powered vehicles.

Air pollution is considered to be a significant aspect as to why the EVs are bound to get more popular. You can also factor in increasing prices and suddenly it seems like EVS make more sense. However, what if you do not wish to spend large amount of money for a new electric vehicle. What are your options after this.

How to buy a 2nd hand electric car? There are hardly any old EVs in the used car market, apart from the fleet car. The 3rd option, one can turn your existing regular car running on petrol as well as diesel into an all-green electric vehicle.

Is it possible to convert a regular car into EV?

This may look like an absurd proposition a few years back, but not anymore. Small automobile companies are realizing the potential in developing EV kits to convert ICE powered gas guzzling vehicles into harmless EVs. Still the EV market is not yet established in India, but the conversion may still become the interim option for the buyers who are looking for options, which may be cheaper, without sacrificing the practicality of a generic vehicle.

What is EV conversion?

To put it in simple words, it is the mere removal of the fossil fuel powered engine from the vehicle and then swapping it with an electric powertrain. The battery pack as well as electric motor may be retrofitted in a vehicle to offer all the benefits that would come to expect from an EV.

How much does it cost?

Coming straight to the most significant question, as to how much does it cost and will make it sense. To understand, one must understand the EV conversion companies make kits which are specific to only few car models.

1st and foremost, one must understand that not all cars can be converted to an EV. The conversion is definitely model specific and developers require to get their kits approved by the govt before one can began selling them commercially.

Saurabh Joshi, Northway Motorsport, Pune, has explained that they are waiting for approval of two which have been built for Maruti Suzuki ignis and Maruti Suzuki Dzire. The approval may be cleared within a period of 2 months. Northway motors have managed to offer a rough estimate of the cost involved for EV conversion.

Incase the buyer owns a pre-owned Suzuki Dzire, and visits Northway for conversion, they would require to shed somewhere around Rs.6.5 lakh in order to convert it into EV. After successful conversion, the range that this can offer would be somewhere around 120 km. the company desires to introduce a long-range kit in the near future, which would be able to offer a range of 250 km.

The above company presently plans to sells a single motor powertrain which is rated around 7.5kW and the peak power goes up nearing to 25kW.

Few other aspects to consider

The vehicle condition would definitely decide as to whether there would be any additional expenditure with regards to repairs. The basic cost of the tires as well as other peripherals can easily be managed. However, the major fault with regards to older vehicle may cause the overall cost to inflate considerably.

When it comes to converted vehicle, it would continue to get the same manual box as earlier. The use of a gearbox would also help in enhancing the range of the vehicle.

Verdict

One can convert their car into an EV, it is not an impractical choice, but there is lot of variables at play. The vehicle age, the overall condition and the model limitation in order to align well. The conversion may offer the car with a new life for a minimum period of half decade and in same cases it be may be more too. You still cannot expect it to compete with other, brand new, more powerful EV in the market, both with regards to power and mileage.