Mazda MX-5 becomes an electric sports car thanks to conversion kit

Thanks to the British company Electrogenic, the Mazda MX-5 will be able to drive on electricity alone in future. Anyone who removes the combustion engine from their original and has an electric kit fitted will be able to drive the timeless classic for 240 kilometres without stopping to charge.

conversion electrogenic mazda mx 5 — Image: Electrogenic

This is made possible by Electrogenic, a British company that specialises in conversion kits for combustion engines. Electrogenic has already developed and launched conversion kits for older Land Rovers, Jaguars and Porsches, among others. The most recent coup was a ready-made electric kit for the DeLorean DMC-12, the cult car from ‘Back to the Future’.

Now the focus is shifting to the Mazda MX-5, specifically the Mk1 MX-5/Miatas version. The experts at Electrogenic have designed the electric powertrain to fit into the existing structure of the MX-5. The kit is designed to deliver 120 kW of power and a good 150 miles (equivalent to 240 kilometres) of range under real-world conditions. The battery has a capacity of 42 kWh. According to the British company, the Mazda MX-5 converted to an electric car weighs only 100 kilograms more than the original combustion engine model, namely around 1,100 kilograms.

In the converted version, the battery packs are located under the bonnet instead of the combustion engine and in the rear instead of the fuel tank. The boot itself remains untouched. The developers of the kit have also taken care to keep the vehicle’s centre of gravity as low as possible in order to preserve the MX-5’s direct handling. Also on board: special software, without which the new components could not be integrated into the overall system.

The kit is now available through Electrogenic’s network of installation partners. Steve Drummond, CEO of Electrogenic, commented: “We’re delighted to introduce the latest addition to our world-leading range of ‘plug-and-play’, EV conversion kits. We’ve long been intrigued by the concept of a light, well-balanced, rear-wheel-drive electrified modern-classic, one that truly delivers when it comes to the old-school thrill of driving.” He said it was exciting to give MX-5 fans the opportunity to electrify one of the most popular sports cars in history.

electriccarsreport.com

2 Comments

about „Mazda MX-5 becomes an electric sports car thanks to conversion kit“

Knut Danielsen

06.12.2024 um 22:17

I am not impressed by this kit. In my college days, I would frequently drive between Baltimore, MD where Johns Hopkins was located and Greenwich CT, a distance of 224 miles using I-95 and the Jersey Turnpike. If I left either location with a full tank of gas, I would arrive at my destination with 1/4 tank left over. On the other hand, driving south from Connecticut using this conversion kit I would run out of power somewhere between exit 4 and 1 on the Jersey Turnpike, have to recharge the vehicle, and then resume the drive. How long it takes to charge a electric vehicle becomes material under these circumstances. We have a 2014 MX-5 GT. While most of our driving is local, it has been used on a number of road trips. I can tell you that on a number of occasions we got back onto the interstate just because of the surrounding neighborhood we found ourselves in. With an electric vehicle you won't have that option. In short, I applaud the fact that there is a conversion kit available. However, much work remains before the range and speed of recharging electric vehicles meets that of the current gasoline counterparts.

Kevin Jones

09.12.2024 um 10:37

"on a number of occasions we got back onto the interstate just because of the surrounding neighborhood we found ourselves in" - unfortunately this tells you more about the country than it does about the car.