Since buying a new electric vehicle isn't always a practical option, many drivers are opting instead for transforming their existing combustion cars in order to go electric. However, even the conversion process can prove expensive, so one YouTube content creator recently shared their experience upgrading a 1956 Jeep into a fully functional EV on a tight budget.
Using an electric motor repurposed from a Smart ForTwo along with a second-generation inverter from a Toyota Prius, creator Jeremy Makes Things patched together a working vehicle with zero tailpipe emissions for under $5,000. The same project completed with higher-end parts and professional services can cost owners over $200,000, according to InsideEVs.
On top of their environmental support, the intrinsic benefits of going electric — such as easy maintenance, fuel savings, and quieter engines — mean that making EVs more financially accessible can be a win-win all around. You can save thousands in gas and maintenance while cutting down on your vehicle's carbon pollution — the same carbon pollution that drives up our global temperatures, messes with our weather patterns, and puts our food and water supply at risk.
Although opponents of EVs primarily cite the environmental damage their batteries cause — lithium mining for battery production can prove taxing on the planet and its groundwater, while improper battery disposal can leak contaminants back into the Earth — the positives certainly outweigh the tradeoffs. In fact, per the MIT Climate Portal, combustion-based cars release about 350 grams of carbon pollution per mile driven, compared to only 200 grams generated to power an EV battery for a mile.
There are ways to bring down that number even further, though, while boosting your savings even more. Installing solar panels can considerably reduce your charging costs when you upgrade to an EV, as well as your home energy bills, while simultaneously lowering your household's reliance on carbon-heavy dirty fuels. If you're interested in going solar, tools like EnergySage can help you connect with local installation services and save up to $10,000 on the process.
Responses to the original Jeep conversion video were overwhelmingly positive, and commenters praised both the final product and the quaint, father-and-son nature of the project.
"You have given your kid an incredible memory for life right there," one user wrote. "Imagine how proud he is to tell his school mates what he and Dad did this summer!"
"Watching [the car] near silently roll through the woods just had me stunned, amazing work," another added.
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