The electric aftermarket is quickly heating up as legacy automakers are starting to offer its own parts to builders. GM has announced it will offer a complete crate motor and battery powertrain under the name eCrate Connect and Cruise, and Ford has started selling a crate motor called the Eluminator that’s shared with the Mustang Mach-E. GM has also shown a few concepts to show what’s possible with its electric motors, and now Ford has done the same with this 1978 F-100 Eluminator pickup.
The truck was built in collaboration with MLe Racecars, the company that helped build the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 electric drag car. And while it looks like an old F-100 on the outside, there isn’t much left of it underneath. Bolted to the truck’s custom Roadster Shop chassis are the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition’s front and rear electric motors. They give the truck all-wheel drive, as well as 480 horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque. As for what sort of battery is in it, Ford isn’t saying just yet.
Of course, the electric powertrain and custom chassis aren’t the only upgrades. The truck is set off visually by it’s bright white paint scheme and copper accents replacing the factory chrome and stainless. Even the taillights and indicators have been given clear white lenses to blend in with the design. The truck is lowered, too, on billet 19-inch wheels that replicate the look of plain steel wheels with dog-dish wheel caps. Also, while we can’t get a particularly good look, it does appear that a lot of the bed has been retained in the electric conversion, despite the addition of a rear motor and batteries. So it should still be able to carry bulky things like a truck.
The interior gets an even more radical overhaul. It has a custom billet dashboard and the instrument and infotainment screens from the Mustang Mach-E, not to mention a modern Ford steering wheel and other switch gear. Modern seats feature custom black and tan leather upholstery. The center console has some retro plaid accents, too.
If you want to build something like this right now, Ford can sell you motors. Its crate motor is based on the rear electric motor from the Mustang Mach-E GT, and it makes 281 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. It also retails for $3,900. However, you’ll have to get more creative for the other parts of the powertrain, such as the batteries, controllers and inverters. Ford Performance did announce that it plans on offering all of these things in the near future, though, so that it can provide everything needed to have a turn-key powertrain. Of course, with anything like this, you’ll still need to be creative with how you pack it all in the car, but that’s the case with any sort of major engine swap. We’re excited to see Ford and its competitors continue to develop their aftermarket electric offerings.
Related Video:
Source: www.autoblog.com