Electric cars are still barely 2.5% of the cars on the roads, and a majority of cars with fossil fuel engines are still being sold, and these cars will continue to pollute for dozens of years after their sale has been completed banned.

Furthermore, on the order of 14 million used (and polluting) cars are sold each year from rich countries to less developed countries, and these cars will continue to pollute in those countries as well for many years after 2050.

But on the other hand, there are more and more people every day who are sensitive to the issue of pollution from their vehicles, and who want to continue using their old classic cars. And some of them are willing to spend money to make their cars fully electric.

And this conversion is not at all cheap. They have to eliminate the internal combustion engine and in general the transmission, and install a new battery, an electric motor and its management system, and modify some components to work with the new electric motor. And since the battery is very heavy, they must also reinforce the chassis structure and change the wheels.

There are already quite a few companies dedicated to these “craft” jobs for those who have the whim of keeping their “old cars” running sustainably, and prices vary greatly depending on the car model. They can cost more than 50,000 euros for a Volkswagen, and between 100,000 and 500,000 for a Jaguar or a Rolls-Royce. In general, it is more expensive to modify a classic car than to buy a new electric car.

But for those who have money and want to keep their classic cars on a whim, this market niche is booming, and those who do it know that their car becomes a unique and exclusive object. Some companies have a waiting list and give delivery times for their work of up to two years.

You have to be very careful when carrying out these conversions and use specialized companies recognized for their seriousness. And of course, take into account the regulations of each country so that they allow us to drive your new car.

I suppose that as time goes by, new components (batteries, electric motors, etc...) that are more accessible and cheaper will appear on the market, and what today is a thing for the rich will end up lowering their costs and more people will agree to modify their cars at more moderate prices.

I think it is a market niche that will continue to grow. There are millions of cars to be converted, as long as the price is right.

By Amador Palacios

Reflections of Amador Palacios on topics of Social and Technological News; other opinions different from mine are welcome

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