Cars: British company invents £ 9,000 kit for converting classic minis into fully electric vehicles

Classic minis can be turned into all-electric vehicles thanks to a conversion kit developed by a British company that replaces the engine of the legendary car.

Wiltshire’s Swindon Powertrain says the £ 9,000 kit – which includes an electric motor and gearbox – can be fitted by most amateur mechanics.

However, a battery and AC / DC converter and charger are also required, sold separately for £ 16,000 and £ 1,950, respectively.

The conversion system is currently specially tailored to the engine compartment of a Mini – but could in future be adapted to any classic car, according to the designers.

The development comes just a week after the UK government announced it would ban sales of new diesel and gasoline vehicles from 2030.

Experts assume that all used and vintage cars will – figuratively speaking – be driven off the road in the not too distant future.

With the conversion kit, owners of all classic minis can still drive their beloved cars in an environmentally friendly way in the future.

The car’s distinctive high revs – as famously immortalized in the 1969 film The Italian Job – will, however, be lost in the silence of the electric motor.

The British Motor Company launched the first mini model back in 1959 – the tiny two-door economy vehicle became an icon of British culture in the 1960s.

Wiltshire’s Swindon Powertrain says the £ 9,000 kit – which includes an electric motor and gearbox pictured – can be fitted by most amateur mechanics. However, a battery and AC / DC converter and charger are also required, sold separately for £ 16,000 and £ 1,950, respectively

The conversion works by replacing the standard mini motor with an electrically powered motor and gearbox mounted on a subframe that sits on the chassis.

The electrical energy is supplied by a 12 kWh battery on the engine, which gives the car a range of up to 125 miles and can be recharged via the mains in five hours.

The DC power supplied by the battery is passed through an AC-to-DC converter, which then supplies power to the front wheels to propel the car.

“This is a system that basically replaces a Mini’s gasoline engine and makes it fully electric,” said Raphaël Caillé, managing director of Swindon Powertrain.

“It is aimed at people who own these classic cars and want to continue driving them in the years to come.”

“If you already own a 1980 Mini, there are certain parts of London that you cannot drive it due to emissions.”

“Not only does it let you get it where you want, but it also removes the congestion fee.”

“The standard kit has a range of about 50 miles and while that doesn’t sound like much, it’s about as far as people go in these minis.”

“Charging can be done with a standard plug and takes about five hours.”

At the moment the conversion system is specially designed for the illustrated engine compartment of a Mini – but could be adapted in the future to help every classic car, according to the designers

The development comes just a week after the UK government announced it would ban sales of new diesel and gasoline vehicles from 2030. Experts assume that all used and vintage cars will – figuratively speaking – be driven off the road in the not too distant future. Pictured is an electrically converted Mini

With the conversion kit, owners of all classic minis can, at least in the future, drive their beloved cars in an environmentally friendly manner. The distinctive high speeds of the car – as it is known to be immortalized in the 1969 film The Italian Job (picture) – are lost due to the silence of the electric motor

The British Motor Company launched the first mini model back in 1959 – the tiny two-door economy vehicle became an icon of British culture in the 1960s

“We launched the product last week and Boris Johnson announced it a few days later – it’s almost like we put it into action!” Mr. Caillé joked.

“I don’t know if this would work for all classic cars, but the potential is there,” he added.

“Of course there are some cars with nice engines that should be kept – but electric conversion might be the only way to keep them on the roads.”

The conversion works by replacing the standard mini motor with a pictured electrically powered motor and gearbox mounted on a subframe that sits on the chassis

The electrical energy is supplied by a 12 kWh battery on the engine, which gives the car a range of up to 125 miles and can be recharged via the mains in five hours

The development has already been welcomed by some mini enthusiasts.

“I think it’s a fantastic development and will help keep classics on the road for many years after legislation removed our right to internal combustion engines,” said Bil Bell, who runs the 1959 Mini Register, which tracks the earliest iterations of the car.

“It wouldn’t be suitable for all classic cars and wouldn’t be my first choice – but if electrification enables enthusiasts to keep classic vehicles as a hobby, I’m for it.”