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German automotive companies Volkswagen [folks-VAH-gen] and eClassics have joined the trend of transforming vintage cars into battery electric-powered vehicles.
In some European countries, converting old vehicles to battery electric power has been considered a great alternative as some major cities started banning diesel engine cars from their roads. The ban aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a minimum of 40% by the year 2030 in the European Union through the removal of vehicles that contribute to air pollution. Emissions from diesel contribute to global warming, which harms the environment.
In light of the ban, a number of car manufacturing companies have started offering vintage car owners a chance to upgrade their cars to electric-powered cars. This is typically done by replacing an old car’s engine with an electric motor and installing rechargeable batteries.
For their first project, Volkswagen and eClassics have teamed up to convert vintage Beetles. Volkswagen will provide the batteries and other parts, such as the engine, while eClassics will conduct the rest of the conversion.
The converted Beetles will be able to produce enough power to improve their speed. Aside from this, they will also have zero emissions because they will run on a clean energy source. The converted electric cars will also have relatively lower maintenance costs because their engines no longer need to be lubricated.
As this trend gains popularity, Volkswagen is also considering how the technology could be applied to other older cars. The company’s next plan is to convert vintage minibuses, as well as other old luxury cars. A board member from the car company even said that in the future, it may even be possible to convert the classic Porsche 356, which was first released in 1948.