There’s nothing better than making something fast go faster. That’s how outdated troopers did it with scorching rods after World War 2, and that’s how bike outlaws did it with outdated Harleys and Indians after World War 1. The ideas of inside combustion are the identical, no matter utility or scale.

But, what occurs now, within the period of electrical automobiles and bikes? How are individuals speculated to make these quiet, financial runabouts quicker, or extra succesful than they had been designed to be? Well, these outlets make it look fairly simple. Here are some EVs which were tuned, fettled, accessorized, or utterly rebuilt that deserve your consideration.

In order to provide the latest and correct info potential, the info used to compile this text was sourced from varied aftermarket and producer web sites, and different authoritative sources.

1 Nissan Leaf AT-EV – Plug-in Adventures

Proving enjoyable within the mud would not should be soiled

While the Toyota Prius brought electrified mobility to the masses, the Nissan Leaf is arguably what introduced Electric Vehicles to the plenty. In 2017, on the finish of the first-generation Leaf’s manufacturing run, Plug in Adventures modified one and dubbed it the Nissan Leaf AT-EV, or All Terrain Electric Vehicle.

Standard 2017 Nissan Leaf Specifications

(Data was collected from Nissan and Car and Driver)

Fitted with some aftermarket Speedline wheels and slender rally tires, the otherwise-stock Nissan Leaf entered a grueling, 10,000-mile cross-country occasion referred to as the Mongol Rally, the place it ended as the primary EV to ever take part in and end the rally. Now that the first-generation Leaf has been on the secondhand marketplace for some time, it’s clearly time for lovers to see what it’s they will do with this EV. One factor’s for certain, although: Rally is a good place to begin.

Pros

• Mostly inventory
• Relatively low-cost, inexpensive construct
• Plentiful provide for reproduction makers

Cons

• Low on energy
• Lower battery capability resulting from age
• Slow charging solely

2 Porsche 914 EV Conversion – EVWest

Who stated basic automobiles cannot be inexperienced?

One of the extra attention-grabbing issues lovers realized with EV structure is the shocking modularity of the design. So a lot in order that even early makes an attempt at Electrifying basic automobiles yielded some fairly substantial outcomes. EVWest, an organization that focuses on these sorts of conversions for outdated Porsche and Volkswagen merchandise, released a conversion kit for the Porsche 914.

Electrified Porsche 914 Specifications

(Data was collected from EV West)

For these unfamiliar with the platform, the 914 was Porsche’s attempt to capture the light, mid-engine sports car phase. Akin to the modern-day Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman, the 914 was powered by a Flat 4 engine, though the rarer 914/6 fashions had been powered by a Flat six that was lifted from the interval 911. As such, the 914’s nimble and light-weight chassis makes for a terrific mixture when mated to first rate energy from an electrical motor.

Without batteries and labor, EVWest fees $8,734 for the conversion equipment, which incorporates the motor, controller, charger, throttle management, and all the opposite equipment you might want to get it operating. Once you’re paid up, although, what you could have is a purebred basic with road cred at any type of meet, greater than twice the ability that it got here with from the manufacturing unit, and no tailpipe emissions. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Also, sure.

Pros

• Lightweight chassis
• Reasonably priced basic EV
• Turnkey automobiles and conversion kits out there

Cons

• Down on energy
• Limited vary resulting from measurement constraint
• Batteries not included

3 Tesla Model S Convertible – Ares Design

Your favourite EV, now with limitless headroom

Most individuals wouldn’t assume twice about utilizing Teslas as mere home equipment, and it’s simple to see why. It takes you to and from work in consolation, has superior driver aids to assist maintain you on the highway, and has sufficient area, tempo, and beauty to maintain house owners from being humiliated in most eventualities.

But, if you wanted a convertible EV, it’s sadly slim pickings for you, as only a few producers have launched convertible EVs, not to mention offered them. If you could have some huge cash, although, there’s one firm prepared to construct one for you.

Tesla Model S Plaid Specifications

(Data was collected from Tesla)

Ares Design presented its take on a convertible Model S as a one-of-a-kind construct from 2021, commissioned by a really particular shopper. Key variations from the usual Model S embody a stretched entrance door with no again door or B Pillars. Instead of a full trunk, Ares additionally ate into that cargo area to retailer away the material roof. Other than that, it is because it was when it left the Tesla manufacturing unit. As a one-of-a-kind construct, no value was ever given, however Ares is all the time prepared to offer you a quote, design, and labor, all for the appropriate value.

Pros

• Convertible styling
• Unmatched rarity
• Tesla Model S efficiency

Cons

• Prohibitively costly
• Less structural rigidity
• Voided Tesla Warranty

4 Mustang Mach-E GT – Shelby American

Aggressively styled to overcome Electrified Europe

Long-time tuner Shelby Performance has an extended and storied historical past of hopping up Ford Mustangs, with the Mach E being the most recent within the lineup. Sadly, this explicit Shelby has been restricted to solely 100 copies worldwide, with all of them being Europe-bound solely.

On the skin, Shelby gave the Mustang Mach-E an appearance upgrade kit, with customized hood stripes and facet strips that denote the truth that it truly is a Shelby product. Naturally, although, a reputation as carefully related to efficiency as Shelby would imply that the Mustang Mach-E will need to have extra energy, proper?

Standard Ford Mustang Mach-E GT AWD Specifications

(Data was collected from Ford and Shelby Performance)

Well, no. Shelby Performance didn’t give the Mustang extra energy, so energy ranges for the GT trim stay at 480 horsepower. What Shelby did do is make the automobile weigh rather less, with a carbon fiber hood, carbon fiber aero equipment, and a few light-weight solid wheels.

On prime of a suspension drop, the Shelby Mustang Mach-E goals to profit from the ability it already has. That could sound counter-intuitive for a model like Shelby, nevertheless it’s fairly an environment friendly means of constructing a automobile quicker – maximize energy by matching the suspension and chassis to it.

Pros

• Light, carbon fiber hood
• Rarity
• Intact manufacturing unit guarantee

Cons

• Very costly look bundle
• No added energy or torque
• Was solely made out there in Europe

5 Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE Pole-to-Pole Expedition Vehicle

Proof that EVs could make it anyplace

Just like their participation within the Mongol Rally in 2017, Chris and Julie Ramsey determined that taking a Nissan Leaf 10,000 miles throughout an enormous open desert wasn’t badass sufficient, and {that a} new journey needed to be conquered. Something with extra miles concerned, presumably even one thing world-changing. As it occurred, Nissan had just revealed its latest full EV, the Ariya in 2022, and the couple who based Plug in Adventures discovered their subsequent base automobile – all they wanted now was an journey price doing.

Somewhere down the road, somebody, presumably drunk, steered a Pole-to-Pole expedition – driving the automobile over 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles) from the Magnetic North Pole to the South Pole. Sounded good, till somebody identified that it had by no means been completed earlier than. Naturally, that meant it was too good for phrases.

Standard Nissan Ariya e-4ORCE AWD Specifications

(Data was collected from Nissan and Car and Driver)

Starting in March of 2023 and ending solely days earlier than Christmas Eve, the husband and spouse duo not solely accomplished one of many hardest highway journeys in an EV, however turned the primary individuals to ever achieve this. None of it will have been potential, nonetheless, if not for the heavily modified Nissan Ariya that carried them the entire means. Outfitted with beefy, 39-inch tires, heavy-duty suspension, and tenting gear to outlive the harshest environments identified to man. Aside from that, the Ariya was largely untouched – no adjustments to the drive prepare, battery pack, and even the electrical motor.

So, what does their journey imply for electrical autos? First and foremost, it implies that they are powerful sufficient to outlive the arduous journey from Pole to Pole, and that, even with out efficiency modification, EVs can nonetheless carry out outstandingly in harsh environments.

Pros

• Built for any type of terrain
• Bigger tires improve the cool issue
• Proof of reliability for EVs usually

Cons

• Only 300 miles of vary
• Not a mass-production automobile
• Slightly down on energy resulting from added weight

6 Fiat 500E – Silent Classics

Cute and succesful, now with batteries included

As EVs are primarily focused at metropolis drivers, it is sensible to make a few of them as small as potential. The micro automobile has been tried, examined, and revisited a number of instances in a number of guises, with EVs being the most recent iteration. Unfortunately, micro automobiles of immediately can’t examine with these of yesteryear – they’ve gotten larger, fatter, and fewer lovable due partly to altering tendencies and tastes.

But, fortunately, corporations like Silent Classics have taken the micro EV and packed all of it right into a timeless design – the Fiat 500. The product of this match-up is the Silent Classics Fiat 500E.

Fiat 500E by Silent Classics Specifications

(Data was collected from Silent Classics)

The selections Silent Classics provides you’re both a conversion equipment, or a full turnkey construct you could drive out of the manufacturing unit as is. The elements they embody are the 59 horsepower Electric motor, 21 kW-h Tesla Battery, the onboard charger, controller, and even regenerative braking and a brand new LCD that replaces the unique speedometer. If requested, clients can have their automobile fitted with a Fast charger, slicing cost instances down from 6 hours to half-hour.

The result’s a micro automobile that may go practically 100 miles on a single cost, can nonetheless sustain with trendy site visitors, and wouldn’t look misplaced at your local Cars and Coffee, parked subsequent to the opposite Fiat 500s.

Pros

• Classic Fiat 500 styling
• More energy than the unique
• Decent vary for metropolis driving

Cons

• Six-hour cost time
• Unsafe by trendy requirements
• Prohibitively costly

7 Project E – Legacy EV

One man’s dream EV made actual

As with many pioneering initiatives, the good thoughts of Legacy EV founder Rob Ward had a thought sooner or later: “What if?” In the actual case of Project E, it was “What if we built an electric hot rod?” At first, he banished the thought, as a result of Hot Rods are speculated to be powered by thundering V8s. Little by little although, as many loopy concepts do, it began chipping away at that predisposition, till ultimately, he determined to do it – and thus, Project E was born.

Built reside throughout SEMA 2023, Project E relies on a 1930 Ford Model A Sedan, which has been extensively modified in the identical vein as early scorching rods. Chopped roof, channeled physique, no hood, no fenders, and that outsized rear tire all make it the quintessential hot-rod.

Legacy EV Project E Specifications

(Data collected from LegacyEV)

Where that ends is the place the engine must be. In place of a V-8, Project E has a completely modular electrification system that may be a straight substitute to your normal engine and transmission pair – merely raise the outdated engine and transmission out, and slot the brand new setup as an alternative.

Specs-wise, Project E is fitted with some par-for-the-course numbers, with 241 horsepower and 265 pounds-feet of torque, 55 kWh of battery that’s good for as much as 150 miles, and a charging charge of 6.6 kiloWatts with Fast Charging out there. All these stats make this scorching rod somewhat extra usable day by day than it in any other case would have been.

Of course, as a one-off, value wasn’t on Rob Ward’s thoughts when constructing the automobile. Rather, the eye he acquired at SEMA by constructing the automobile reside from begin to end is greater than sufficient compensation for the funding. Pretty good bonus: We acquired to see a wickedly cool automobile getting a brand new lease on life with electrification.

Pros

• Timeless scorching rod type
• Decent energy and torque degree for a scorching rod
• First-of-its-kind construct

Cons

• Not on the market
• Controversial construct for warm rodders
• There won’t ever be one other one prefer it

8 2CEV – Electric 2CV

French appeal and utility, wrapped up in a petite, electrical bundle

One of France’s finest innovations is arguably the Citroen 2CV. It’s cute appears, minuscule engine, and soft-as-silk hydro-pneumatic suspension made it considered one of Europe’s hottest automobiles within the post-War period. Sadly, the final 2CV rolled off the manufacturing line in 1990, however many shiny sparks right here and there stored constructing them with spare elements and repurposed tooling.

One such firm is the 2CEV, a British firm that builds the 2CV from scratch as a low-volume electrical metropolis automobile. They are available in two types – the unique four-door mannequin with seating for 4, and the even more utilitarian ‘Eive’ panel van.

2CEV Specifications

(Data was collected from 2CEV UK)

Both 2CVs are not powered by the anemic flat twin engine they’d have include again within the day. Instead, they’re powered by a 20-horsepower electrical motor with a ten kWh LiFePo4 battery. Miniscule numbers as soon as once more, identical to earlier than, and even the vary is miniscule at 65 miles, though that looks as if a lot for a automobile that can solely actually be utilized in metropolis limits, doing errands.

Sadly, the 2CEV and Evie aren’t low-cost. They begin, absolutely constructed from the manufacturing unit within the UK, at $38,000, which is an excessive amount of to pay for a nostalgia throwback. But they give the impression of being so cool, there could be no higher option to burn via that cash.

Pros

• Cute as a bug
• Simple and light-weight
• Practical and characterful van for small enterprise house owners

Cons

• Low on energy
• Small battery pack
• Prohibitively costly

9 Rivian R1T ‘Nirvana’ – Apocalypse Manufacturing

An EV to take you all the best way to the top instances and past

The Rivian R1T was one of the first truly usable EV pickup trucks to hit the market, and it was a smash hit with the overlanding crowd. But if the looks of the R1T isn’t aggressive sufficient, then the Apocalypse Nirvana is the answer. Underneath is identical operating gear that powers the R1T – a quad motor setup with 850 horsepower on faucet, and a 129 kWh battery good for about 350 miles.

Standard Rivian R1T Specifications

(Data was collected from Rivian, Car and Driver, and Apocalypse Manufacturing)

What Apocalypse modified on the truck is a totally customized, extremely aggressive physique painted in Kevlar paint for enhanced sturdiness. Apocalypse additionally fitted the truck with a totally built-in LED mild bar on the roof, aftermarket off-road suspension and raise equipment, and large 38-inch off-road tires for the true off-road stance and presence. While most of this isn’t strictly crucial, and the inside hasn’t been touched even barely, the Apocalypse Nirvana solutions crucial query Rivian lovers haven’t requested but: “Why not?”

Pros

• Aggressive styling
• Kevlar-based sturdy paint
• Proven Rivian expertise

Cons

• No further energy
• No inside adjustments
• Much costlier than the R1T

10 Tesla Cybertruck – Unplugged Performance

Rugged meets Green on this off-road machine

When Tesla first unveiled the Cybertruck, the purpose was to shake up the pickup truck market, and so they achieved that purpose in late 2023 when it launched and began supply. Now, EV tuning firm Unplugged Performance has launched a line of modifications to make the Cybertruck much more succesful than it already is – and that’s saying quite a bit.

Standard Tesla Cybertruck Specifications

(Data was collected from Tesla and Unplugged Performance)

First out of the gate is UP’s 2.5-inch raise equipment, matched to spec with its metal bumpers, rock sliders, full-length skid plate, and bull bar. On prime of that, it sourced beadlock wheels in addition to Cybrhex solid wheels for the Cybertruck, matched as much as a set of chunky off-road tires, in addition to high-performance brakes, sway bar fast disconnect hyperlinks, and 30- or 50-mm wheel spacers.

But, by far, the quirkiest mod UP has for the Cybertruck is a bed-installed Starlink mount, as a result of, in fact, overlanding lovers want their Wi-Fi.

Pros

• Rugged off-road appear and feel
• Off-road suspension, brakes, and tires
• Starlink mount

Cons

• More weight added
• No added energy
• Prohibitively costly