autoevolution
 

Check Out This Meticulously Built Tesla-Powered Honda S2000 That Will Petrify Purists

With electric cars becoming more and more real, tuners are switching to conversions. On the latest Hoonigan Build Biology episode, Ron featured a peculiar 500-HP, Tesla-powered Honda S2000. Yes, I know, S2000 purists will throw a lot of shade on this one, but we will have to give props to Ryan of Rywire on this iconic build.
Tesla-Powered Honda S2000 9 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Hoonigan
Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000Tesla-Powered Honda S2000
For starters, this isn't the first S2000 running on a Tesla motor. Jason Hughes of 057 Technology did a similar build on an S2000 about three years ago.

Unlike Jason's racer, Ryan's build is a meticulously designed S2000. I have to admit, a lot of thought and research went into this car, and the power output was perhaps the last thing on his mind.

The Honda S2000 is a popular tuner car. It is synonymous with high revs, redline shifts, valvetrain whirls, pops and bangs. Taking the guts off an S2000 and switching it with Tesla internals is blasphemy for a purist. It's madness - and deserves one of those Meet the Spartans (2008) kicks into oblivion.

But Ryan's peculiar build is quite interesting. There's a lot more going on than a Tesla motor. According to his experience, real estate was his biggest challenge. It's hard to miss the front custom VW-themed grille or the wide fenders that neatly complement his custom low-drag wheels.

Under the hood are two full Chevy Volt batterry packs with a total of 38 kWh, neatly wrapped in a honeycomb-designed crate. The motor's maximum output is 500 HP.

In the trunk is the custom drive unit. Ryan explains that the Tesla Model S P100D donated its rear motor. Since designing the entire system is expensive and time-consuming, he swapped the Tesla control unit for an AEM version. The result is a standalone control unit (with none of those pesky updates from Tesla).

The setup connects to a differential, the inverter, and the Tesla motor. It's a crazy neat build with minimal wires poking through everywhere. Ryan is keeping the S2000 as a streetcar to gather data and potentially lead to other excellent conversions.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
Humphrey Bwayo profile photo

Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories