French company converts conventional automobiles into electric vehicles

The company makes it affordable to turn your vehicles into an electric one, whilst also providing extra connectivity for drivers

Spotted: French company Transition One can take your current car, remove the existing internal combustion engine and replace it with batteries and an electric motor — all within about four hours.

The process costs around €4,820 and has the official stamp of approval from the French government, which makes it eligible for EV incentives and  lowers the cost to around €3,120. Once the process is complete, drivers can immediately enjoy the benefits of an electric car, which greatly reduces maintenance, fuel costs and carbon emissions. The company estimates that for every 10,000 kilometers driven on electrons instead of molecules, one ton of carbon dioxide will be kept out of the atmosphere.

At present, Transition One is able to convert the following cars to electric power: Renault Twingo II, Fiat 500, MINI, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Aygo, Citroën C1, Peugeot 107, Renault Clio 3, Peugeot 207, Citroën C3, Dacia Sandero, Renault Kangoo, Citroën Berlingo, and the Peugeot Partner. 

The idea was inspired by how small, front engine cars are made. The engine, transmission, and entire front suspension, including brakes, are all mounted on a sub-frame. On the assembly line, the whole subframe is slapped into the car from underneath, and can be easily removed and replaced with an electric motor. After that, all that’s left is unbolting the gas tank, swapping in a battery pack and connecting a few wires.

The transformation also adds some extra connectivity, allowing drivers to track battery life and state of charge on their phones. They can even use it to find where their car is parked.

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