Classic car owners face £35,000 bill to convert historic vehicles to electric cars

Richard Hammond discusses his love for classic cars on GMB

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Speaking to Express.co.uk founder Steve Drummond said prices could rise depending on the details in costs which could price many road users out of electrification However, he warned the comparative costs of engine restorations for many older petrol and diesel cars means electrification is accessible for those who are happy to update their existing classics.

Mr Drummond said collectors and hobbyists “spend a lot of money on classics” with some repair work costing even more than electrification costs.

He said: “We do a classic Mini conversion for about £35,000 but it depends on details and spec.

“Does that make it super rich, I don’t know. But it makes a fantastic little car which will beat the pants off a brand new electric Mini.

“The main things it depends on are the number of batteries, how far you want to drive on a single charge and the motor tech, those are the two big things.

“Something like an E-Type, when you lift the bonnet it looks beautiful because we spent £6,000 on the box underneath the bonnet which contains everything.”

He added: “Parts are getting really hard to get.

“You look at a comparative cost, a friend of mine has just spent £50,000 on a rebuild of his E-Type engine.

“Spending £50,00 on a Porsche engine and rebuild is relatively modest. It depends on what your frame of reference is.

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“People spend a lot of money on their classics anyway.”

Interest in classic car electrification is expected to surge as legislation is introduced to curb the use of petrol and diesel vehicles.

The introduction of Clean Air Zones in major cities makes electrification one of the only ways to future-proof historic motoring.

Owners will also benefit from no fuel bulls abroad tax exemption as well as maintenance and servicing costs.

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