General Motor’s electrification strategy extends beyond new vehicles as we’ve already seen the company invest in Pure Watercraft and dip their toes into the electromod market. The automaker is now revealing more details about the latter as they announced their Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate Package will arrive next year to “extend EV technology to the aftermarket.”
GM didn’t go into many specifics, but
revealed plans for an “electric specialty vehicle modifier program” that will
allow customers to easily connect with qualified installers who have been
“properly trained to replace a vehicle’s traditional internal combustion engine
with a fully electric propulsion system.” This should take some of the
guesswork out of selecting a company to perform your electric conversion.
The company has also been working with
Lingenfelter on an electric 1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS. GM said the vehicle
represents the “first independent installation of the concept eCrate package,
and boldly ushers in the next generation of EV components from Chevrolet
Performance as the program prepares to launch in 2022.”
GM was tight-lipped on specifics, but
Lingenfelter revealed the El Camino was completed this summer and racked up
“hundreds of road test miles” prior to its debut at PRI. The tuning firm added
the car was created for validation purposes and will help pave the way for the
electric specialty vehicle modifiers program. Performance specifications remain
a mystery, but a display at PRI revealed the El Camino has a 66 kWh battery
pack and an electric motor that is connected to a four-speed automatic
transmission. It sends power to the rear wheels and the company said the
“instantaneous torque makes it fun to drive.”
