Why We Need More Electric Restomods Like the Opel Manta ElektroMOD

This was a bold move from Opel, and something not many automakers would dare to do. Opel took one of their classic Mantas and decided to turn it into an incredible electric vehicle. They produced a retro icon, something that makes us wish more electric restomods existed. Opel hit the nail on the head with their electric Manta.

What makes the Opel Manta ElektroMOD so cool

The most noticeable thing about Opel's electric Manta is the styling. The restomod stays true to the original design of the car with plenty of modern features. First of all, there is the Pixel-Vizor display on the front of the vehicle. While not much more than a gimmick, the display can communicate messages directly to the owner. That front display also houses the headlights of the car as well as an illuminated Opel badge. This new face is the same width and overall size as the original Manta grille.

The Neon Yellow that Opel launched the car in really helps this little machine to stand out. A small air dam under the license plate is the only cooling we can see at the front of the model, keeping that fascia as clean as possible. Opel also worked hard on the interior, including displays and a Marshall Bluetooth box. The technology is the same as what we see in the company's production Mokka. Some retro features remain, such as the design of the steering wheel and the former gear shifting knob in the center console.

Other electric restomods that are just as cool

There aren't many restomods like the Opel Manta, but there is one from Hyundai. The company, a couple of years ago, took the covers off its Hyundai Pony EV Concept. Officially called the Heritage Series Pony, Hyundai took an original Pony, much like Opel did with the Manta, and rebuilt it with modern technology and retro features. The car now sits on an EV platform, while the overall shape of the Pony remains the same. Pixelated headlights and taillights are a standout cosmetic addition to the original Pony design.

Like with the Opel, Hyundai worked hard on the interior as well. A radical instrument cluster features a steam punk style, with the panel itself looking like a gas lamp. Hyundai never revealed the exact specifications for the Pony EV, but Opel put a 108 kW/145 hp/147 ps motor inside the Manta, which is still rocking the original four-speed manual and a rear-wheel drive setup.

It's likely, though, that Hyundai took the drivetrain from the Ioniq 5 to use inside their concept. A drivetrain that would be absolutely perfect for Hyundai’s concept. Perhaps most encouraging for the automotive industry is that Opel and Hyundai have shown there is still a future for restomods.

Electric restomodding is very much a real possibility

It would be easy to say that the change to electric power would end the restomod industry. The powertrain of a car is a core part of what makes a restomod work. But Opel and Hyundai have shown that carrying on with restomods is still possible. The only downside is that, thanks to modern design and safety features, we couldn't possibly get a production version of the Manta. The design would just not pass the various safety checks and meet the standards that modern vehicles must comply with.

That would, however, only stop production versions of the Manta and Pony EVs. If people own either of those cars, they could still go out and potentially get a conversion done. Perhaps Opel or Hyundai could open up a program to do just that.

Electric restomods like the Manta make EVs cool

A criticism that we can level at electric cars is that they don’t really stand out compared to the ICEs in terms of design. The looks are too similar to regular vehicles. What the Manta ElektroMOD did was show just what an electric car could look like. And we have seen that in production form thanks to Hyundai and their Ioniq 5. Retro looks are excellent indeed, and more EVs should follow suit. But there are so many ifs and buts there.

At the very least, we would love it if more manufacturers would take their own classics and convert them into electric cars. Much like Nissan is about to do with their R32. As controversial as it might be, an electric R32 sounds like a very exciting prospect, so we can't wait for Nissan to complete it.