This British Start-Up Replaces Classic Luxury Car Engines With All-Electric Ones
Source: Architectural Digest, Brett Berk
Photo: A 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V that’s recently been outfitted with an all-electric engine. (All images are Courtesy of Lunaz)
Lunaz is a shop dedicated to creating custom gas-to-electric conversions for such iconic vintage cars as the 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, and 1953 Jaguar XK120
To help improve air quality and decrease the addition of global warming–inducing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, cities around the world are placing restrictions or heavy taxes on the use of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles in urban centers. While someone seeking a new vehicle can buy an electric or plug-in hybrid and help to solve this issue, classic-car owners haven’t had this option.
So what is the discerning and planet-loving vintage car owner to do to assuage their environmental concern? One answer is to have their old car converted to run on electric power. “If we don’t answer the questions of reliability, relevance, and sustainability, these cars may not be driven or seen on the roads in the future,” says David Lorenz, a British car collector and the founder of Lunaz, a shop dedicated to creating custom gas-to-electric conversions. “The work we are doing at Lunaz is essential engineering that removes the issues that detour so many from indulging their love of classics.”
In addition to removing the smoggy (and often finicky and breakdown-prone) vintage engine and gas tank, and replacing them with smooth-running and virtually maintenance-free battery packs and electric motors, Lunaz also updates the vehicles with modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi, satellite navigation, and contemporary entertainment systems. The shop also will provide customers with other arenas for personalization. “Once a build slot is secured, customers will be afforded scope to work with our designers to tailor color and interior design elements to their taste and requirements,” says Lorenz. “Every car by Lunaz will therefore stand as a unique example of the breed, protecting the emotional and material investment our customers make in our cars.”
Thus far, Lunaz has been focusing on proof of concept, having electrified a trio of iconic and stunning British autos: a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, a 1956 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, and a 1953 Jaguar XK120. But, since publicizing this effort, the company has apparently been inundated with requests from potential customers. “Since announcing the conversion of the Rolls-Royces and Jaguar, we received enquires from every corner of the globe looking to secure build slots,” says Lorenz.
Lorenz’s shop is part of an effort by artisans large and small to preserve our vehicular history for future generations through electrification. It joins small-scale vintage car convertors in the U.K. and the U.S. such as EV West, Electric Classic Cars, Zelectric, and Electric GT, as well as manufacturers like Jaguar and Aston Martin, who are developing custom or bolt-in kits for transforming your classic from gasoline to electric power. But all of this work doesn’t come cheap. Pricing for a Lunaz conversion is estimated at over $400,000. And don’t expect the shop to work on your old AMC Pacer. “We intimately understand this market’s requirement for rarity,” says Lorenz. “So we will limit production of cars to highly exclusive releases.”