Electric cars often come with a hefty price tag, deterring many eco-conscious consumers. But there’s another option for those who still want to go green without buying a new vehicle.

Converting traditional gas-powered cars into battery-powered ones is not a new concept. However, the process can take months to complete.

A German cleantech start-up called e-Revolt claims to have found a way to drastically reduce EV conversion times. The company’s methods can turn a gas-powered car into an EV in just eight hours, equivalent to one day of work.

When e-Revolt does an EV conversion, it removes the combustion engine. It then replaces the combustion engine with a new frame and components that utilize the existing mounting points of the car.

Because of this, the engine is the only part of the car that needs to be replaced. The rest of the vehicle stays intact. It’s for this reason that the company’s turnaround times are so fast. In a standard EV conversion, the transmission, gas tank, and exhaust system need to be replaced as well.

Another of e-Revolt’s competitive advantages is its versatile conversion kit. This kit is able to convert over 40 different car models from a variety of manufacturers, according to Euronews.

The cost of completing the job ranges from €12,000 to €15,000 ($12,945 to $16,182 US). This is a far cheaper alternative to buying a new EV. As of February 2023, the average cost of a new EV in Germany was about €40,000 ($43,153).

By reusing old EV parts, EV conversions also reduce the need for environmentally damaging rare mineral mining.

Rare minerals like cobalt are an essential component of EV batteries. Cobalt mining in the Congo has been linked to water pollution and reduced soil fertility.

Though the general public sees the value in converting old gas-powered cars, automotive companies themselves may have concerns about replacing their in-house designed engines and components with parts from another company. Furthermore, salespeople may not endorse the concept, as it interferes with selling new cars.

This creates an opportunity for EV conversion start-ups like e-Revolt.

A notable downside of e-Revolt’s conversions is their limited range. Currently, cars converted by e-Revolt have a range of approximately 250 to 300 km (155 to 186 miles). This is well below the industry average of 322 to 483 km (200 to 300 miles).

However, the company is working to overcome this weakness.

Image Source: e-Revolt