DeLorean DMC-12 EV Conversion

DeLorean DMC-12 EV conversions replace the original, underpowered V6 engine with a modern electric powertrain while preserving the classic's iconic 1980s styling.

The original

The DMC-12 had the stainless-steel body and gullwing doors to look like the future, but not the engine to match. Its rear-mounted 2.85-litre PRV V6 made 130 hp (SAE net), with either a five-speed manual or a three-speed automatic.

The conversion

Oxfordshire-based Electrogenic offers a drop-in conversion kit for the DMC-12. A 160 kW electric motor, around 215 bhp, drives the rear wheels through a fixed-ratio gearbox. The battery is about 42 kWh, packaged where the original fuel tank sat, and Electrogenic quotes a real-world range of around 150 miles.

Electrogenic claims 0–60 mph in under five seconds. The kit includes CCS rapid charging, selectable drive profiles, launch control, heating and vehicle-to-load (V2L) power.

Why it matters

The conversion is designed to be fully reversible, so the car's original structure stays intact. Electrogenic says it keeps the car within about 70 lb of its original kerb weight. It's a different way to think about electric performance: not a new car, but a classic given the powertrain it always deserved.