Swindon Powertrain has announced an electric conversion kit for the classic Mini which starts at £8,850 exclusing taxes. When you consider the company sells an already converted classic Mini for £79,000, the Swind Classic Mini Kit may look like a bargain. But bear in mind that the Swind E Classic Mini comes with a 24 kWh battery pack. The kit Swindon Powertrain sells is not a proper kit: it is basically the motor.
To be fair, the HPD E Powertrain comes ”mounted to an original classic Mini front subframe featuring brackets specifically designed for this installation.” It also has inner CV joints that match “standard Mini driveshaft assemblies” and a standard differential.
What about the inverter? The onboard charger? The battery pack? They are all extras. The controller costs £3,860. The onboard charger is yours for £1,950 more, and it includes a DC-to-DC converter. You can also add a limited-slip differential (£598), satin black finish (£168), speed sensor kit (£299), and coolant system pump (£144).
If you think the LSD and the satin black finish are superfluous, you will end up with a £15,103 bill. But what about the battery pack? Well, it adds £16,000 to the expenses and only 12 kWh to your electric classic. Swindon Powertrain must have the same supplier Nissan does.
More EV conversions:
Joking aside, you’ll spend £31,103 just with the components to convert your classic Mini. Don’t forget to add taxes to that, which are normally around 20 percent, depending on country. It is the Swind E Classic Mini that looks like a bargain now, right?