Five reasons why you should (not) electrify a classic

More and more companies are opting for the electrification of classic cars. From the Volkswagen Beetle to the Ford GT40; Almost every week, a different icon is equipped with an all-electric powertrain. We give you five reasons why you should (not) do this.

However, electrification does not always take place in the same way. Sometimes companies opt for a car that is close to the original, or they build a replica of a classic and equip it with an electric drive. And there is also a middle ground, using an original car as a base, with almost all parts being strengthened and modernized. But why would you (not) make it your mind to do one of these three ways?

Minus: soul is lost

Classic cars have a soul. Not only because of their often beautiful and popular designs or contemporary interiors, but also because of their almost anthropomorphic powertrains. They huff and sigh, letting you know how they’re feeling by the sound they make. You should smell a classic, you should hear and feel the engine of a vintage car. It is an extremely important part of the classic experience. If you install an electric motor, almost all of it is lost.

Cons: Sacrilege

Many classics are also loved for their great engines. The beautiful Colombo V12 engines in Ferraris, for example, or the amazing V8 engines that Ford put in the GT40. The removal of such a judicial machine is actually a sacrilege. If you then drive it, we come back to the point above.

Plus: preservation for the future

But anyone who spoons an electric motor into a classic car knows with 100% certainty that they will still be able to use it in the distant future. Old cars are increasingly being banned from inner cities, but there could also be a general driving ban for cars with old-fashioned combustion engines in the foreseeable future. And so it’s not a bad idea to electrify classics that aren’t necessarily loved for their fantastic or special engines.

Plus: everyday car

And the nice thing is that you can use your classic as an everyday car. If you’re doing this with an original classic car with a sensitive internal combustion engine, then you probably have a lot of work to do. An electric drive train is almost maintenance-free. When you spoon such a powertrain into your classic car, you can drive around in a beautiful classic car every day.

Min: weight

Nevertheless, such a drive train remains problematic for many classic cars. The reason we love driving certain old cars is because they are much lighter and more compact than today’s cars. Check out the current mini range and compare the range to the Legend designed by Alex Issigonis. In short: Compared to today, many classic cars are still wonderful throwing and throwing cars. If you put a battery in, they become very heavy. Furthermore, there isn’t always space for many batteries in a compact classic car, so you either disturb the weight distribution or you don’t have room to sit in it with more than two people.