- Electrogenic has teamed up with a Hollywood star for another electric vehicle project
- Two Land Rovers and three classic Harley-Davidsons go electric
- The partnership is for the new series of In the wandering
A UK-based conversion company that specializes in developing electric motors for classic vehicles has revealed that it has redesigned five of Hollywood star Jason Momoa’s prized machines for a new HBO series. In the wandering.
The vehicle list includes two very rare Land Rovers and three vintage Harley-Davidsons that were first produced in the 1920s.
Electrogenic and Momoa have so much history that the company converted its 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II to electric power back in 2024, but the most recent project was even more ambitious.
“The technical challenge with the Land Rovers was to introduce electric power while maintaining the original four-wheel drive transmission, which is what gives these iconic vehicles their unparalleled off-road capabilities,” explains Steve Drummond, CEO of Electrogenic.
Harley-Davidsons were perhaps even more complicated, as they were converted to run only on electricity, gasoline, or a hybrid combination of the two. Better yet, they now offer electric starting, so no more broken tibias trying to start the old gasoline engine.
Momoa’s 1949 Land Rover Series I 80 conversion centers around a compact 48 kWh battery that has been neatly packed into the original engine bay, replacing the old 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine.
The batteries are housed in a custom casing designed to match the vehicle’s aged patina, helping to preserve the classic look while introducing modern EV technology under the skin.
Power comes from a 150kW electric motor, although torque has been deliberately reduced to suit the lightweight nature of the original vehicle and retain its driving characteristics, rather than creating a souped-up monster.
The all-wheel drive transmission remains, along with all the original low-range functionality, complete with mechanical shifters.
The conversion also adds CCS fast charging capability and offers a true range of over 150 miles, all without cutting, drilling or permanently altering the original vehicle.
I drove Electrogenic’s amazing DeLorean in 2024 and can fully attest to the job it does – it’s nothing short of fantastic.
Analysis: Preserving history, one electric motor at a time
Momoa claims his electrified Harley-Davidsons, which use rear hub motors from Maeving motorcycles and batteries hidden in discreet specially designed saddlebags, are “the best thing we’ve ever done.”
“I’ve ridden an electric bike before, I’ve ridden electric bikes, I’ve ridden electric motorcycles, but the idea of riding an old (electrified) bike is like nothing I’ve ever experienced,” he said, stating that the ability to switch to the gasoline engine simply increases versatility.
Electrogenic says that, as with many of the other previous projects, ‘plug and play’ kits have now been produced which now allow owners of other vintage cars and motorcycles to discreetly convert their vehicles to electric power, without the huge overheads of the initial R&D phases.
Conversion kits for a Classic Mini, for example, cost around $20,000 / £15,000 / AU$28,000, while older Land Rover Defenders can benefit from near-silent, emissions-free propulsion from around $32,000 / £24,000 / AU$45,000. The FD/JD Harley Davidson kit is also available from Electrogenic for $ 19,500 / £14,500 (around AU$28,000).
It’s certainly not cheap, but it might be one of the simplest and most reliable ways to keep old classics on track.
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