The motor world develops by leaps and bounds, and this is somewhat normal as it is in constant development. What is being sought now is to make cars more economical but that pollute much less than gasoline or diesel cars. In fact, there will come a time when car brands will stop making internal combustion cars. What’s more, there are already many cities in which even if you have a car that’s been around for a while and is petrol or diesel, You cannot move freely through them.
Given this, many people who have old cars with internal combustion engines that are in good condition and want to keep them are using a technique that is becoming more and more popular called «Retrofit».
What is retrofit?
Retrofit is a technology which includes Install on any vintage or classic machine, modern items. Basically modernize something while maintaining its vintage aesthetic.
In the case we are talking about today, retrofit technology is used. Convert gasoline or diesel cars to electric or hybrid cars.
the goal is to give a second life for our car.
Why is this done?
You might think that instead of converting an old car to an electric car, it is better to get a new car that is electric.
well, the truth is that you are partially right, but we should not forget that there are many people who have classic coach, That they are fine and can be considered relics. In these cases, it may be interesting to convert it to electric by retrofitting.
Although the truth is that classic cars are exempted from these in the area of restrictions. Also, for the true classic car purist, They will never change the basic mechanics of a classic car, And even less a change as radical as converting it to electricity.
But yes, there may be people who are halfway between classic and current. A person who wants to use his classic car with modern systems as of today has the option Get your car fitted again and enjoy the best of both worlds.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, although it is true that this is an expensive technique to do, It’s still cheaper than buying an electric car built from scratch. Also, by doing this, apart from reducing the pollution while driving your car, you are also Recycling parts and you don’t generate as much waste. In general, it’s good for the environment.
From this point of view it has many advantages, but not everything is so beautiful.
Is it worth repossessing my car?
Before doing anything, you obviously need to consider everything involved in converting your car to electric.
While it is true that it is cheaper than buying an electric car, it is still expensive. first thing because you need a professional who knows how to do it, And it’s not that simple. A lot of money has already been spent on labor here.
of course you should too The materials and elements needed to be able to do so. A conversion kit, battery, wiring… and many other elements that clearly aren’t cheap.
And we also have to keep in mind that not all cars are the same, and so The technique is not done in the same way, it may take more or less time. That is to say, depending on how complicated it is, and the time it takes professionals to do it, it will cost you more or less.
And if you’re thinking of doing it yourself to save money on labor, don’t be in such a rush, because It is not an easy technique to do. Unless you have a lot of experience or are a downright professional, it’s best to Leave it in the hands of a professional who knows how to do it. Don’t rush yourself to watch tutorials without much.
Well, once the car is already electric, the matter is not over. When you’ve made it, you’ve got to perform vehicle approval, Well, you have to check that everything is ok and the car is safe. And of course, this approval also costs money, it can be around 7,000 Euros.
so to speak, converting an internal combustion car to an electric or hybrid It can cost you around 25,000 Euros.
Is retrofit legal in Spain?
Of course, if you’re going to convert a car to electric, you should at least know whether it’s legal in Spain before spending the money.
yes retrofit is legal in spain But as we said earlier, It is required to be submitted in the process of homologation To be able to walk with him. The problem with this approval is that it is an expensive process and requires a lot of effort. That’s why it costs so much money to do it.
In fact, There are already some companies that do retrofits, such as Elektrun Cars. So if you want to convert your old car to electric, it is possible and legal as long as you get it approved.
Retrofit and low emission zone
Obviously, there are many advantages to converting our car to electric in terms of driving.
As we all know, more and more cities are setting up low-emission zones. Bearing in mind that if you have a car that is a few years old and has internal combustion, you cannot drive with it… Converting it to electric is interesting, especially if the car is good.
Of course, this will depend on whether the car is electric or hybrid, the level of emissions it produces and a lot more. But still, you can easily take car with ECO or zero label, When previously it was labeled C or B.
These labels give us a range of pretty interesting advantages To park or move around the cities center without problems.
It may not be the cheapest technology in the world, but it is one that It is becoming very relevant and it is here to stay. So don’t be surprised if you see a fairly old car with a zero emissions label driving around your city without any restrictions.
