Gallery: the £80,000 electric Mini
Image credit: Jason Bye | Eyevine
A 1967 classic Mk1 Austin Mini has been renovated and converted to electric using Tesla components.
Simon Benton, from Suffolk, has spent tens of thousands of pounds to renovate his late mother’s classic Austin 850, adding a twist by fitting an electric 300hp Tesla engine to return it to pristine condition.
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The car – nicknamed ‘Obi’ by the family – failed an MOT test in the 1990s and was put away at the back of the garage, until Benton found it years later.
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Experts at Bridge Classic Cars, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, worked on the vehicle, before it went to Wales for its electric conversion.
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According to ITV News, the only surviving original features are its roof and ashtrays.
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The electric conversion has apparently raised the car’s top speed from around 70mph to 120mph.
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According to Benton, the restoration project has cost somewhere in the region of £80,000.
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