Drop-In EV Conversion Kit Makes Converting Your Classic 911 to All-Electric Easy. But Should You Do it?
The EV conversion kit will make your classic 911 quick and reliable. However, it can be argued that the soul of the car is lost.
A classic air-cooled Porsche 911 is revered in the automotive world. The design, simplicity, performance, durability, feel, smell, sound they all contribute to make a classic 911 one of the most collectible vehicles on the planet. No air-cooled 911 is undesirable. There was a time when the 1974 – 1977 cars were looked down on a bit but even the values of those cars have soared in recent years. That is because all the cars made in this era are special. And nothing like them will ever be made again. Even their faults we find endearing and worth the trade off to own such a wonderful machine. But a company called Electrogenic thinks they have a better way.  They believe the future of classic cars lies in converting them to run on electricity. And they have developed an EV conversion kit to prove it. Actually, two of them.
It is no secret that the automotive industry is moving full speed ahead into EVs. That includes Porsche. Even as they work to develop a synthetic fuel. Running a car on electricity is becoming more and more common. And there are many advantages to EVs. But they have drawbacks as well. And with us staring down the barrel of an all EV future, do we really want to turn the old cars into all-electric machines too? A video posted recently on the Electrogenic REV YouTube channel showcases a couple of drop-in conversion kits that might convince you that it is the way to go. Emphasis on the word MIGHT.
EV Conversion Kit
The company currently offers two different kits. One has a 160kW motor and the other a 240kW motor. Both are rated at between 180 and 200 miles of range. The more powerful unit is said to launch the car to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and the less powerful unit will take 5 seconds. The kits have been designed to be simple drop-in upgrades. Everything is sized properly, and they are ready to simply be bolted in and you are off and running on electrons. The kits are designed for all G-body and 964 generation cars. So basically any 911 from 1973 through 1994. An EV is low maintenance, quick and of course there is no stopping at gas stations.
A Case for Conversion
I can’t see anyone taking a solid running 1978 911 SC and ripping the heart out of it to make room for batteries and an electric motor. To say nothing of the Turbo models or numerous other special 911s made in this era. However, if you have a tired example with a blown engine, or non-numbers matching car, or maybe just a body shell in need of all running gear. That might be a candidate for an EV conversion kit. It will likely be at least as quick if not quicker than the stock car. And it will also likely be more reliable and require less maintenance. So, there are advantages.
A Case for Stock
An EV has a time and a place for sure. And their day is dawning. But it seems sacrilegious to take a vintage Porsche 911 and convert it to be an EV to make it ‘better.’ It is like saying a digital copy of the Mona Lisa is better than the original painting because the newer digital version can restore the subjects eyebrows. No. We love the older 911 for the character it has. Even if some would see that character as flaws. A car is only original once. EVs are set to take over the world. The classics should be left alone. What do you think? Let us know in the Rennlist forums.
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