As the popularity of electric vehicles continues to grow, many are wondering what to do with their gas models.
A shop on Prince Edward Island has the answer – transform older cars into electric vehicles.
Upcycle Green Technology Auto Shop in Stratford, P.E.I., recently built a light truck from a Toyota Corolla, making it completely electric.
“Upcycle is about making something better than it was,” said Natal Antonini, a mechanical engineer and the founder of Upcycle Green Technology Auto Shop. “You are recycling and upgrading something.”
The idea came from a simple problem: a huge amount of carbon and other resources go into making a vehicle, so by extending the life of an older model car, you’re saving all the materials and carbon required to put a new one on the road.
Antonini says, when that vehicle is converted to electric, you save even more.
“We can say half of the production of CO2 is during the manufacture of the car. If you use a used car, or old car, you are saving twice,” said Antonini. “You are saving during the use of the car and during the production of the car.”
Antonini's plan isn’t to become a competitor with the major players, but to become a niche shop supplying trucks to businesses and other organizations primarily concerned with reliability and cost of fuel.
The proximity to the University of Prince Edward Island's sustainable engineering program is an advantage as well. The company has already hired two recent grads.
“My dad and grandfather are both automotive guys, autobody and mechanics,” said Russell Peden, a junior Engineer. “It was kind of interesting to learn from them growing up and then working on electric cars now, it’s kind of like the future.”
Two of the shops prototypes are now road legal. The next step is the testing phase.
The shop is set to see production ramp up, with a planned 100 conversions a year.
Last week, they put out a call for preorders.
“We are very happy because we received already six pre-orders, and sold one car for Summerside,” said Antonini. “Just one week, I think it was fantastic.”
Once up and running, Antonini says the production line should produce two electric vehicles per week.
