Electrogenic’s drop-in Mazda MX-5 EV conversion is lighter

First-generation Miata’s ‘plug-and-play’ conversion kit delivers 160 horsepower, 150 miles of range, and only weighs 220 pounds

First-generation Mazda MX-5 owners looking for a power boost always have plenty of options to choose from, including throttle bodies, turbochargers, superchargers and engine swaps. But now a British company has come up with a greener alternative, a plug-and-play electric car conversion.

You may have heard of Electrogenic UK’s previous projects. The Oxford company produces embedded electric vehicle kits for the original Land Rover range and Defender, classic Mini and Porsche 911, Jaguar E-type and DeLorean DMC-12. It also made headlines when movie star Jason Momoa signed on with the company for a custom electric conversion of his 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II.

RELATED: Electrogenic’s DeLorean DMC-12 EV still needs roads, but not gas

Like the company’s other evaluation kits, the Miata kit’s installation design is relatively simple, using CAD modeling to fit all components into the existing engine bay and tunnel space, so no cutting or drilling is required. Electrogenic says it can be replaced by a trained mechanic in just a few days, and the kit can be completely reversed if the owner changes their mind.

However, since the single electric motor produces 160 hp (120 kW / 163 PS) instead of the 116 hp (87 kW / 118 PS) of the original 1.6-liter internal combustion engine, and the speed from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) It dropped for about 3 seconds. After 6 seconds, those owners may be having too much fun and not want to switch back.

Yes, the 115 mph (185 km/h) top speed doesn’t sound too impressive and is pretty close to stock, but that doesn’t matter in a car that’s always focused on cornering fun. Electrogenic says there’s more to come, and since the weight distribution is the same as the donor MX-5, but with a huge jump in torque from 100 lb-ft (136 Nm) to 229 lb-ft (310 Nm), you’ve got more of a chance Take advantage of the chassis.

Of course there will be a weight penalty, even if the distribution is the same, but it’s not terrible. The EV swap adds 220 pounds (100 kg), though the resulting curb weight of 2,425 pounds (1,100 kg) makes it 27 pounds (12 kg) lighter than the 2025 Miata RF and just 84 pounds (38 kg) lighter than the current rag- )Heavy. top.

You can even choose from multiple drive modes with different torque and regeneration characteristics, and while the 150-mile (240-kilometer) range is still far from modern EV standards, it’s probably the one-off anyone would want in an early MX-5 Maximum range achieved regardless of what powertrain is under the hood. The 42-kilowatt-hour battery can also be fully charged in one hour.

As with all these classic EV modifications, this is a niche proposition. Maybe more than others, as the cost of the kit (still to be determined, but certainly over $20,000) will be harder to justify on a car that, even in mint condition, is only worth $15 more than the classic -$20,000 911 worth $120,000. Some potential buyers may also be put off by the loss of the MX-5’s manual shift operation, which has always been one of the joys of driving a Miata, though Electrogenic has done custom manual conversions for customers in the past, so we think the team Will do it again if given the right financial incentives.

With Porsche on the verge of launching its 718 electric car and Alpine bosses claiming this week that the upcoming electric A110 will be lighter than rival internal combustion sports cars, machines like Electrogenic’s MX-5 kit are in the spotlight and we’re sure we’ll just Will see more in the years to come. Would you like to replace your classic NA Miata with an EV?