Electric Boogaloo official EV conversions for classics

There have been a number of electric conversions appearing on the market in recent years, some of them being beautifully engineered and impressively thought out – but there hasn’t been an officially sanctioned swap… until now.

A team of engineers at the MINI Oxford plant have developed an EV conversion package for classic Minis, which seamlessly integrates an electric motor and battery pack into the shell using the original drivetrain’s mounting points – which, of course, means that the process is entirely reversible.

Naturally there are two sides to this. On the one hand, enthusiasts might argue that most Minis are used so infrequently that their carbon footprint is negligible, particularly given the environmental issues around creating new battery packs and so forth. But on the other hand, for owners who use their Minis regularly for short journeys in urban environments, it’s a very attractive idea to convert their runabout into a zero-emissions package that can be used in ULEZ zones – particularly since MINI can store the original A-Series to be refitted at a later date if so required.

An interesting issue with strong feelings on either side, but for those who are considering such a swap, having it done by technicians from the MINI Oxford plant will provide a huge amount of reassurance. It won’t be a cheap option (details are yet to be released, but we’d guess a figure around £30k), but the idea of 121bhp, 0-62mph in 9.0 seconds and a 100-mile range is certainly compelling.