√1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Loses Straight-Six For Electric Conversion

With the automotive industry gradually shifting to an inevitable electric future, one question arises – how to keep old cars on the road? The final last drop of gasoline and diesel is a matter of when rather than if, and unless synthetic fuel gains traction, the only solution is an EV conversion. This is where Electrogenic comes in, a British company specializing in turning fossil fuel-burning cars into battery-powered EVs.

Their latest project is quite unexpected as they’ve given a majestic Rolls-Royce Phantom II an ICE-to-EV conversion. This 1929 car with stunning coachwork by HJ Mulliner & Co has lost its massive 7.7-liter straight-six engine to make room for an electric motor. The original four-speed, non-synchromesh manual gearbox has also been removed. Electrogenic has installed a 93-kWh battery with enough juice for an estimated 150 miles (241 kilometers) of real-world range.

The e-motor is good for 201 horsepower (150 kilowatts), which means power is up considerably from the six-cylinder engine that generated between 40 to 50 hp. Located between the chassis rails via a bespoke single-speed direct drive transmission, the motor puts out an instant torque of 310 Newton-meters (228 pound-feet). For all the hardware to work in harmony, Electrogenic had to create the optimal software.

Although the oily bits are out to make way for the EV-related components, this 94-year-old Rolls retains the structure without any modifications. To make it happen, Electrogenic performed a 3D scan of the vehicle to determine how to configure the batteries and maximize the amount of cells that can be crammed in based on the available space.

On the standard car, the brake pedal and levers were located under the bulkhead where the battery pack now calls home. Electrogenic had to design a new braking system by repositioning the levers and cables. There’s now a new pedal to operate the brakes while a hydraulic system is placed between the pedal and the original cable actuators. As with modern EVs, there’s even a regen function.

The unusual conversion is making its first public appearance at Salon Privé, which starts today and runs until Saturday, September 2. Electrogenic has worked on more humble cars in the past by developing drop-in-kits for the original Mini, Jaguar E-Type, older Porsche 911s, and the Land Rover Defender.

Source: Electrogenic

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