Photo: ionic cars
People who love classic cars love them for a reason: they remind them of times past when things used to be done differently. Whether it's an archetypal piece of design or the mechanical intricacies of their powertrains that attracts them, what's certain is that they want to keep those vehicles as pristine as possible.
That's why the restomodding scene isn't to everyone's liking, not to mention the emerging trend of having electric powertrains fitted to classic, sometimes even iconic models. Removing the internal combustion engine and replacing it with an electric motor and battery setup does more than altering the vehicle's driving experience - it changes its spirit.
That's all the more accurate when said engine is something as defining for the car as the flat-six unit is for most Porsche 911s. However, the UK-based ionic cars has a different way of looking at things, and it might just be the right way.
The latest model to catch the company's attention is a 911 of the 964 generation (introduced in 1989) in what is probably the model's most appealing trim: the Carrera Targa. After working its wonders on a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL “Pagoda”, the team is now focused on the classic German sports car.
ionic cars says the conversion is one hundred percent reversible, meaning the owner should have no problem fitting the 3.6-liter flat-six back where it belongs should they realize they made a mistake further down the road. Or, you know, if they start receiving death threats from members of the 911 club.
As with most similar projects, the electric drive unit comes from Tesla and is going to be hooked up to a 53 kWh battery pack. That is significantly smaller than the 100 kWh unit in the Model S - or the 75 kWh one in the Model 3, for that matter - and there's a very good reason for that: ionic cars promises the weight and weight distribution will remain "close to the original's".
We would really like to know where the company plans to squeeze 53 kWh-worth of battery cells, and even though they don't mention any details, it's safe to assume the car will likely offer zero trunk space. What it will reportedly offer is increased performance: 4.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) sprint thanks to the 440 hp electric motor. Range, however, will be limited to 180 miles (just under 300 km), but that's a small price to pay for such a unique driving experience.
We suspect the price of the actual conversion won't be that small, though. ionic cars doesn't say anything about that part yet considering everything we've said so far - the fact it deals with classics and that it focuses on keeping everything authentic - its products clearly aren't for everybody.
That's all the more accurate when said engine is something as defining for the car as the flat-six unit is for most Porsche 911s. However, the UK-based ionic cars has a different way of looking at things, and it might just be the right way.
The latest model to catch the company's attention is a 911 of the 964 generation (introduced in 1989) in what is probably the model's most appealing trim: the Carrera Targa. After working its wonders on a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL “Pagoda”, the team is now focused on the classic German sports car.
ionic cars says the conversion is one hundred percent reversible, meaning the owner should have no problem fitting the 3.6-liter flat-six back where it belongs should they realize they made a mistake further down the road. Or, you know, if they start receiving death threats from members of the 911 club.
As with most similar projects, the electric drive unit comes from Tesla and is going to be hooked up to a 53 kWh battery pack. That is significantly smaller than the 100 kWh unit in the Model S - or the 75 kWh one in the Model 3, for that matter - and there's a very good reason for that: ionic cars promises the weight and weight distribution will remain "close to the original's".
We would really like to know where the company plans to squeeze 53 kWh-worth of battery cells, and even though they don't mention any details, it's safe to assume the car will likely offer zero trunk space. What it will reportedly offer is increased performance: 4.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) sprint thanks to the 440 hp electric motor. Range, however, will be limited to 180 miles (just under 300 km), but that's a small price to pay for such a unique driving experience.
We suspect the price of the actual conversion won't be that small, though. ionic cars doesn't say anything about that part yet considering everything we've said so far - the fact it deals with classics and that it focuses on keeping everything authentic - its products clearly aren't for everybody.
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