Classic Mustang With Tesla Power: Hot or Not?
Swapping a classic Mustang’s mill for an electric motor might be heresy. But what about a new-old Mustang?
First off, I understand that some Mustang fans think the idea of an electric Mustang is blasphemy. The very concept is as controversial as third-rail topics like the designated hitter rule, ketchup on a hot dog, or Chicago deep-dish pizza. That said? Before we get too far down the rabbit hole, given that Ford has killed every other car in its lineup, and stated that the Mustang will be around until at least 2030, pony car fans should probably count their blessings. Don’t think the Mustang can’t die.
But let’s put the question of a new electric Mustang aside for a second. Let’s even skip over the idea of yanking the 289 from a classic and dropping in a silent electric motor. What I want to talk about today is a project with 1960s-era sheet metal, and the motivational bits of a Tesla. Sound far-fetched? Because it isn’t. Or at least not that far fetched.
An electric conversion kit for old hot rods is something I’ve long been interested in, and late last week, I heard about something which sounds like a promising, if incomplete, solution. Details come from The Drive, which posted about a partnership between the folks at Revolt Systems and EV West.
While details are slim at this time, the project promises a Tesla power unit that will require no modification to the shell of a classic machine. With 600 horsepower and a whopping 900 lb-ft of twist of tap, getting down the road won’t be a problem, regardless of what kind of old-school iron gets the transplant.
Unfortunately, this is hardly a drop-in solution. What I’m really looking for is something like GM’s E-ROD System, which is a California-compliant LS-based package designed to provide a modern powertrain option for a wide swath of hardware. But even after buyers get the $25,000 motor from Revolt Systems, customers will still have to figure out the rest of the electrical system — including the batteries.
Now, I don’t know about you. But to me? That sounds a little bit like going to Sukiyabashi Jiro and getting delivered a whole bluefin tuna instead of a plate of sushi. Because while the potential for greatness is there, a lot of work remains before the final product can be enjoyed. So while I’m looking forward to what comes of this ambitious project, even if I don’t think a Revolt will get very far if a single piece of its electric puzzle will set buyers back the equivalent of a new Miata. I hope I’m wrong.
So back to my initial question. What do you think about taking robust Tesla running gear, and swapping it into something like a brand-new Dynacorn Mustang body?
No original Mustang would be harmed in the making of the future-proof Pony, and at the end of the day, you’d have something that would be happy to destroy tires as fast as you could mount them. If the project were done right, unless folks saw you cruising, it wouldn’t be obvious that you were behind the wheel of a green machine until you popped the hood.
As you might have already surmised, I love the idea. The roads of the future would be a better, cooler, place if instead of being populated by swarms of jelly bean-like crossovers, they looked like the highways in Gattaca, with all the coolest designs from throughout automotive history whizzing along via electric drivetrains. But that’s just my opinion, and unlike how ketchup doesn’t belong on a hot dog, or Chicago deep dish doesn’t qualify as pizza, there’s room for debate there. So let me know what you think!
Photos: Ford, EV West, Dynacorn
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