this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2026
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How realistic this is really depends on the individual, but converting dead ICE vehicles to EV is a thing. Easier on some cars than others, but old body on frame stuff is pretty darn straightforward (not to mention cool). Early 2000's Ford Ranger + around 10k USD and maybe a hundred hours of tinkering would get you a ride imo both cooler and more practical than anything you can buy off the lot
This is a good point. I've been mulling around with the idea of building an EV from the chassis of a car I've liked since the first time I set eyes on it. The Pontiac Fiero. Specifically the 86-88 GT.
It just looks like a wicked fun car and with the power of an EV driving it, then it probably is.
I don't have the space, money, or time, for a project car like that, but if I ever do, then that's definitely on a short list of possibilities. My only real concern is with insurance. I'll for sure be doing everything I can to bring the safety standards up to something modern (air bags, etc), and to reinforce the frame and make sure everything is copacetic, but I don't think insurance will care, they'll see an 80's era vehicle, that has been heavily modified...
I dunno. I'll make that call when I get there. The only real "new" features I care about are adaptive cruise, and Android auto/Apple car play... Everything else can be very bare bones... I have a very short list of things I care about beyond that, almost all of which were standard in some level of trim for the original car.
The vehicle has standard GM mounting points for the engine, same as any 3.4-3.8 V6 supercharged or NA engine from that era, so I'm sure some EV conversion kit will fit into the frame with little if any modifications needed.
Worth considering at least.
The motor swap itself is trivial in just about anything, you're absolutely right that there's usually a bolt in solution and if there's not it's a small amount of very basic fab work. The tricky part is usually battery packaging, and as a compact early unibody sports car the Fiero is going to be... trickier than most. You'd have the frunk, some extra space in the engine compartment, and the cavity where the fuel tank used to go. Anything is possible, but there already isn't room for groceries in a stock one and it won't exactly be long range.
I called out body on frame (and specifically the Ranger) because they offer long, flat open spaces beneath the car where it's easy to mount a large, simple battery down low for good center of gravity. It also offers more flexibility in engine mounting options, as you can put a whole EV subframe anywhere on the rails vs swapping the motor where the IC engine was. Plaid subframe in the bed of a Ranger/small high-output battery in the engine compartment is a very cool drag combination I saw once, two large battery boxes parallel to the driveshaft under the bed and a Bolt motor/controllers under the hood of another Ranger is a more practical setup a family friend has IRL and where I got the $10k/rough time estimate from. DIY by a handy farmer, like many good things :)
If you ever move forward on this please let me know, I love this shit and have no money for projects of my own lol. 30 y/o truck out of commission until I get $200 together for an alternator x(