EV retrofitting: should you do it?

Car Consultant and EV enthusiast, Jason Grzesik discusses a new trend in the electric vehicle space: retrofitting.

What is EV retrofitting?

EV, or electric vehicle, retrofitting is the process of converting an entire internal combustion engine in a vehicle into an electric motor. This effectively transforms a gas-powered vehicle into an EV, which is powered by electricity through the charging of large batteries.

Now that you know what exactly retrofitting is, you might be considering the process. Afterall, EVs are still relatively new. And as such, the price to own an EV is still quite high. That’s actually precisely why Jason Grzesik personally recommends that car enthusiasts consider retrofitting a standard vehicle into an EV. But, the Car Consultant cautions drivers that they should not do this to their daily driver… Instead, Grzesik recommends taking on an EV retrofitting project with a secondary vehicle. Because, at the end of the day, you may not end up being as ‘ready’ for an electric vehicle as you might think!

How much does EV retrofitting cost?

The conversion generally totals at a price point of $10,000 or more — sometimes that’s not even including the cost of installation. So, essentially, the whole process can cost the same, if not more, than purchasing a lower end EV.