Ten steps to encourage electric car conversions

The widespread conversion of petrol and diesel cars on the UK’s roads to battery electric power could speed up the transition to electric vehicles (EV). 

At CTEK we have come up with a ten-point plan to simplify and make affordable the converting of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars to EVs. 

Transforming used ICE vehicles to electric power makes sense for the environment, as the millions of ICE cars already on the road represent a massive amount of material resources and the manpower and energy that went into their manufacture. 

If we scrapped all of those tens of millions of ICE cars it would be a huge waste of money and materials, plus a writing off of the carbon dioxide emitted during their making. Manufacturing a new EV from scratch involves its own large carbon cost. 

Converting ICE cars to electric is entirely feasible. The UK is already home to a growing number of boutique automotive businesses focused on this. They are often turning classic cars and vans into EVs, yet the principles are the same for more modern, mainstream vehicles. 

Currently conversions are expensive, which is one reason classic car owners are the main customer base. To make ICE to EV conversions affordable and attractive to owners of mass market models we need incentives, resources and encouragement for drivers and for the auto businesses to do the work. 

The UK has a strong automotive industry with many skilled employees who can develop methods and processes to implement electric conversion in a cost-effective and environmentally conscious way. 

Here is CTEK’s ten-point plan for enabling ICE to EV conversions:   

1. Simplify retyping: create a simplified process for retyping vehicles that have been converted to electric power. This should include a specific registration category for electrically converted vehicles.  
2. Standardise requirements: introduce standardised requirements for electric vehicle conversion that are clear and easy to follow.  
3. Subsidise: offer financial incentives or subsidies to individuals and companies that choose to electrify their vehicles. This can reduce initial costs and make it more attractive to convert.  
4. Training: offer training courses for mechanics who want to specialise in EV conversion. 
5. Simplify inspection: create a specific inspection process for electrically converted vehicles.      
6. Provide technical support: establish a national technical support centre where individuals and businesses can get advice and guidance.  
7. Support R&D: invest in developing conversion technologies to reduce costs and improve efficiency.  
8. Publicise: run information campaigns to raise awareness of the benefits of electric vehicle conversion and how the process works.  
9. Co-operate: Encourage co-operation between authorities, the automotive industry and third-party suppliers to develop and promote electricity conversion solutions.  
10. Eco-friendly loans: Work with financial institutions to offer special low-interest loans for those who want to electrify their vehicles.  

There are many reasons to incentivise the conversion of older cars to electric power – environmental, economic and employment. In Sweden, our government is looking seriously at this and in France there are already subsidies and a supportive regulatory framework, which has encouraged Renault to become active in conversion. 

Imagine if the many petrol and diesel Ford Fiestas and VW Golfs on the road, millions of them just a few years old, could be affordably converted to electric. That would be a real gamechanger on the UK’s drive to its EV future.