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The “Back to the Future” car is getting a futuristic upgrade, thanks to an Atlanta-based EV conversion startup.
Ampere EV has created an aftermarket kit that retrofits a car from running on gas to electric. The team recently converted an old DeLorean (the model of “Back to the Future” fame) to a fully-electric vehicle that can reach 60 mph in just over 4 seconds.
Car enthusiasts might not expect a DeLorean to be a natural fit for such a conversion, since Ampere EV CEO Matt White says the car has “lame motor and poor suspension.” But adding a Tesla Motor and an integrated ecosystem consisting of controllers, batteries, and high-voltage junction boxes helps transform it into an impressive vehicle.
Behind Ampere EV is White and his team of engineers and car enthusiasts.
White grew up in the automotive world with his car salesman father and got the ideas for Ampere EV during his time racing cars in Florida and Georgia. He realized that while there was a lot of interest in electric vehicles, there wasn’t an off-the-shelf or DIY option that could help people remake their current gas-powered cars.
The Benefits of EV
White bootstrapped the company to $2 million before getting a loan from the SBA (Small Business Association), and the team gained significant traction after the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Since then, Ampere EV has been targeting car restoration companies and class car enthusiasts.
White told Hypepotamus that traditional “gearheads” see a lot of benefits to moving their beloved car models into an electric future.
“They like the performance of the electric vehicle because you get a lot of performance without a lot of parts and without the need for a lot of service,” White said. “They also like the green aspect. They don’t have an old Chevy that’s blowing all kinds of stuff out the tailpipe. They’ve got something that’s super quick and quiet and it allows them to say: ‘I’m getting with the program and reducing my emissions.”
Example of Ampere EV’s kits
The EV World In The South
Ampere EV has a unique business model and product that could help transform how consumers think about the EV accessibility. And it is one of several EV-focused startups building across the Southeast.
Some others to note include Flux Hybrids (North Carolina startup transforming gas cars into hybrids) and EV charging startups like Resilient Power, Condoit, and EnviroSpark.