This Electrical Conversion Is The Authentic BMW Neue Klasse EV

• This BMW 1602 EV swap is over seven years previous and continues to be used as a each day in London.
• It retains the four-speed gearbox, paired with an electrical motor with traits just like its unique engine.
• If finished at this time, this similar conversion would have a number of benefits and enhancements.

If there has ever been an EV conversion that retained a lot of the combustion automobile driving expertise, it needs to be this BMW 1602 (which BMW truly became an EV in 1972). From the skin, it appears to be like like nothing has modified, and its builders wished to maintain the driving expertise as near the unique by conserving the guide gearbox.

Nevertheless it truly goes additional than that. As Richard Morgan from Electrical Traditional Vehicleswho transformed this BMW round seven years in the past, explains, the motor was rigorously chosen. They particularly looked for a motor with an identical torque supply and rev vary as the unique combustion engine, making it a necessity to alter gear when hitting the identical redline as earlier than.

Like all of those EV conversions that retain the unique transmission, you may slot it into second or third, depart it there, and simply drive it round like that. You received’t fairly get the identical acceleration as beginning in first, however you additionally don’t must shift up because the velocity will increase, making it a superb compromise for each day driving.

Nevertheless, on this BMW, if you wish to have enjoyable on a spirited drive, you may drive it just about precisely such as you would a combustion automobile. Additionally they deliberately neglected soundproofing of the engine bay the place the motor is positioned, so its sound does come by into the cabin telling you when to shift gear.

This appears to be like like such a enjoyable automobile to drive, and what’s finest about it’s that it doesn’t must simulate something. The sound that you simply hear is from the precise motor, and you must shift gears as a result of the facility tapers off above 6,000 rpm.

It’s not overly highly effective both, like many of those EV swaps find yourself being, for the reason that new electrical motor solely has round 120 horsepower. That’s a lot for a automobile that isn’t a lot heavier, even with the 40 kilowatt-hour battery pack that’s cut up into two packs (one underneath the hood and one within the trunk) for weight distribution.

The truth that the proprietor nonetheless makes use of this automobile to drive round London in any case these years, and it’s his solely automobile, is proof of the viability of conversions like this one. EV conversions have improved within the meantime, too. As an example, this BMW doesn’t have fast-charging, and Richard estimates a extra fashionable, higher-density battery pack would increase the battery capability from the automobile’s present 40 kilowatt-hours to round 50 kWh, elevating its vary from 150 to round 170 miles on one cost.

This similar automobile was additionally featured on Jonny Smith’s The Late Brake Present a couple of years in the past, and also you get an much more detailed image of what went into creating it and what it’s prefer to reside with, since that video additionally options the proprietor. He appears very completely satisfied together with his traditional EV, and we are able to definitely see why.