Featured Classic Toyota AE86 sports coupes get electric and hydrogen power

There are independent companies doing EV conversions. Some have likely closed when BEVs started being made and sold, but still are operating. Zelectric does conversions of classic VWs and Porsches. Even with a factory made conversion kit, converting a daily driver just isn't going to be cost effective.

Hydrogen conversions should be cheaper; you aren't replacing the engine. Just needs a place to fill up.

""Many automakers are targeting anywhere from 2030 to 2040 to 100 per cent shift to battery-electric vehicles. However the reality is we cannot achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050 simply by switching all new-car sales to [electric]," Mr Toyoda told the crowd.

"We must think of [cars] in operation. In other words it is important to provide options for other cars that are already owned by someone.

"Although the AE86 conversion technology has to go through many more improvements and evolutions, by sending our message to car lovers today I want to dismiss the fear that we won't be able to drive our beloved cars when we go carbon neutral," the executive said." Making an old car clean instead of sending it to the scrap yard is fine endeavor. Porsche's solution is to make renewable gasoline, Porsche pumps first synthetic fuel as Chilean plant finally starts producing - Autoblog. That doesn't require an expensive conversion, but the fuel's cost will make it impractical for today's commuter car.

 

80's platform?
Guessing it's light - at least.
Safety of that era has really come a long way.
.

 

Price of fuel and lack of availability make this a much more expensive proposition. Remember these won't be efficient fuel cells, they will have around the efficiency of the gasoline engine, and the cars don't appear designed for the big hydrogen tanks. Renewable methanol conversions should be easier ;-)

I believe this shift includes phevs really which won't be more expensive than a hybrid in 235 with anticipated cost savings on engine and fuel.

I believe both are worthwhile. If we are doing synthetic green fuel, it is likely to be cheaper with some engine modifications and higher methanol content. Green methanol is the first step to creating other green fuels like green syn gasoline, or green syn diesel (although some green fats and oils can be the basis. The beuty of porsche's approach is they are producing where green fuel is cheap, then shipping it to places where customers will likely pay for it (or governments may require it). PHEV or BEV conversions of old cars are great when the engine is no longer that good, as performance improvements and ability to use green energy as feed stocks for the electric miles make them versatile.

 

Renewable gasoline and no conversion even easier.

It's a question of cost. The methanol should be cheaper than gasoline made from it. That should cover the cost of conversion, but these are engines designed for gasoline. Could the potential reduction in performance and efficiency result in a much closer cost per mile between the two renewable fuels for a car?

But doing such conversions doesn't address the issue of getting lower income folk into green cars. The cost of such conversions will high enough that they will be better off finding a used plug in.

These conversions will only happen classic and pleasure cars that are rarely daily drivers. It's nice that people will still get to enjoy them. That's Porsche's intention for this green gasoline. It just has a better chance of helping to reduce actual emissions from all old cars on the road.

 

You're right. I've got a Trueno with a blown engine and a big hole where the floor used to be.

If I could convert it to an EV I'd daily drive the [bleep] out of it, no question about it

 

Just saw a guy on Twitter saying it costs $108 to fill a Mirai...range is 220 miles

Hard pass...

 

That's around $20 a kg if the tank was empty.