Electric TR7?

[TReslaV8]

First and foremost I love the sound of the V8, my TR7 V8 can sound awesome, but, as the conversion was done by a previous owner I have no knowledge of the engines age/wear (other than it is apparently an ‘82 SD1 Vitesse engine) and it is starting to drink oil (5 litres over the RBRR weekend) so thoughts of rebuilds being required in the foreseeable started to make me think - the car is already non original, so to e to a new power source isn’t actually that much different to putting the V8 in (not least as I have recently discovered that the rest of the car has only done about 20,000 miles, if only the 4 cylinder motor had been kept!) .

So anyone heard of a TR7 (convertible in my case) having been converted to electric?  If it could be done for a 200 mile range, about 0-60 in 7 ish and rapid charging then it could be tempting. Most of the magazine features seen on converting classics to electric seem to have costs in the  £25k bracket which sounds steep but just wondered if anyone has any experience/knowledge of electric conversions, particularly to TR7s?

 

I await the backlash…😉

 

[Nick Jones]

I did a pricing exercise last year thinking of my GT6. To do a half decent job using new, modern hardware very easily got to around £14k, just for the “big bits”, so I’m afraid that the £25k figure is probably in the ball park.  That’s not to say that it couldn’t be done for a lot less with a forklift motor, especially if you are good with electronics. However, the batteries will always be a big ticket item and I really doubt you’ll fit 200miles worth in a TR7. For damn sure you can’t in a GT6. Even 120 miles was looking problematic.

The itch to do it hasn’t entirely left but the cost is a big problem.

You also need to consider that there is a danger aspect to it. Serious energy in the batteries, that can kill or cause life changing injury very quickly.

Nick

PS. I had a long chat with “Moggy” at ECC and he reckoned £60k….for them to do it or £30k for parts. Not happening at those prices!

Edited October 26, 2021 by Nick Jones

[DVD3500]

The guy down the road that did a MKIV Spitfire did it for around 20k€.

Since then I have done a lot of research and I think it could be done for cheaper and would go farther.

The big problem is the German MOT: TÜV.... they  HATE non-standard parts

If you want to have a chat about it privately let me know...