Setting an example of how a fully electric ecosystem can be achieved much faster, folks at IIT Delhi have successfully converted a 1948 Volkswagen Beetle into a fully electric car. The project was executed by Center For Excellence for Research on Clean Air (CERCA), which functions as the academic think tank of the premier educational institute.

If this technique can be improved further and made available commercially, existing fossil fuel car owners won't have to invest in buying an electric car. The existing high cost of ownership of electric vehicles can be reduced significantly with this conversion technique.

1948 Beetle electric project details

One of the notable aspects of this project is that it has been executed with minimal changes to the 1948 Volkswagen Beetle. Only the engine and some components have been removed to make way for the battery and electric powertrain.

This has ensured that the car can be easily switched back to its petrol format if the need arises. This would be sufficient to take care of any concerns that people may have about questions such as ‘what if something goes wrong with their car's conversion to electric'.

The ability to convert fossil fuel cars to electric would also be a great help to collectors who own classic cars. Parts for such cars are often difficult to source and there may be issues with the engine or it may have stopped functioning.

An electric powertrain would be useful, as the exteriors and interiors of the car can be retained in their original form. Another benefit of electric powertrains is that they produce minimal vibrations. This can help prolong the life of vintage cars that are several decades old.

Environmental gains

The biggest gain of converting existing fossil fuel cars to electric will be the positive impact it will have on the environment. Adverse weather events are on the rise and most of it can be attributed to global warming linked to human activity. Vehicular emissions are among the biggest sources of pollution on earth, which is why we need to switch to an all-electric ecosystem as soon as possible. By converting existing fossil fuel cars to electric, we can reduce the time to reach that goal.

The combination of renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, etc.) and electric vehicles can transform the planet like never before. Electric cars have zero emissions and if their batteries are charged using renewable power sources, it would create a completely pollution free ecosystem.