- This video highlights the advantages of using a Tesla large drive unit for an EV conversion project.
- It makes as much power as an LS3 V8, but it weighs less and is cheaper to buy than a new crate engine.
- The video looks at the inner workings of the Tesla motor and explains why it's so popular.
If you want to convert a combustion car to run on electricity, and you want a lot of performance, one of the most cost-effective ways is to get a Tesla drive unit. The standard-size drive unit out of a Model 3 makes between 295 and 320 horsepower, depending on the specific version, while the large drive unit (LDU) can make 450 hp or 600+ hp if it came out of a Performance variant of the Model S or X.
Even the standard drive unit has plenty of poke for most swaps, and it usually exceeds the car’s original output, but if you want something that’s scary-fast and can quickly turn its tires into dust, then an LDU is what you’re looking for.
A quick search reveals that a refurbished non-Performance unit with warranty will cost you over $4,000, but you can find one out of a salvage yard (at your own risk, as you don’t know how long it will last) for anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the state and mileage of the donor car.
Buying a Chevrolet LS3 crate engine will set you back around $7,000. But the combined cost of all the components (and the work) needed to make everything work is higher for an EV swap.
For an EV swap, you will also need a battery pack with its own battery management system (BMS), the motor will need a separate controller to convert the direct current (DC) output from the battery into alternating current (AC), which the motor needs to run. If you want to keep the vehicle’s original transmission (the cheapest way and you can still shift gears manually), then you will need an adaptor plate to hook up the motor and you will also need an onboard charger to top up the battery.
If you get this done professionally, there’s minimal risk of anything going wrong, and the motor should last a long time, especially if you get a refurbished unit. The reason behind its reliability is its mechanical simplicity, which is excellently illustrated and put into context in this video by UK-based EV conversion specialist Electric Classic Cars.
We’ve covered some of their conversions before, many of which used a Tesla LDU. They argue that the LDU is the electric equivalent of something like an LS3 V8 (basically a Chevy Corvette engine), which is the go-to swap for a wide range of cars, including restomodded classics that originally had a much lower-powered V6 or V8 engine.
Converting a car to run on electricity is a touchy topic, and it’s more controversial the rarer and more expensive a car is. But many specialist shops do fully reversible conversions, and the owners keep the original engine, which they could put back in at any time, but there is certainly a lot of fun to be had in an EV-swapped classic, even if you miss out on the auditory part of the experience. The extra performance of an electric motor does sweeten the deal, and EV swaps are considerably louder than factory EVs.
In fact, the motor whine can be a bit too much in some cases, and you may want to add some sound insulation to keep cabin noise levels bearable. This reminds me of the Microlino electric quadricycle, which has no sound-deadening material, and while its motor noise is fun at first (it sounds a bit like a racing car gearbox with straight-cut gears), it can get a bit annoying on a longer drive.
