Would You Turn Your Classic Mazda Miata Into An EV With This Kit?

U.K.-based Electrogenic unveils "drop-in" EV conversion kit for the first-generation Mazda Miata/MX-5. It has a 42 kWh battery good for a claimed 150 miles (241 km) of range. The new electric motor makes 160 horsepower and cuts two seconds off the car's original sprint time to 60 mph.

Electrogenic is a company specializing in “drop-in” EV conversion for classic cars and it just announced a kit for the first-generation Mazda Miata built between 1989 and 1997. The U.K.-based firm (one of many) also offers kits for the Jaguar E-Type, Land Rover Defender, Rolls-Royce Phantom, DeLorean, classic Mini and Porsche 911.

The plug-and-play kit for the NA Miata features a 42-kilowatt-hour battery pack, which sits in the engine bay and gives the car a real-world range of 150 miles (241 kilometers). A full charge takes about one hour. Having the battery pack in place of the engine is a great use of space, and it keeps the trunk free to carry some cargo. However, it also helps preserve the car’s weight distribution and handling balance.

The battery pack does make the MX-5 heavier by around 220 pounds (100 kilograms), but that still only means the car weighs about 2,650 pounds (1,200 kg).

With 160 horsepower and 229 pound-feet (310 Nm) of torque from the electric motor, the power-to-weight ratio is improved by 21% over the original, whose engines never made more than 130 horsepower. With the 130 hp 1.8-liter, an NA could accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in about eight seconds and Electrogenic says its EV swap will drop that by about two seconds. The top speed is 115 mph (185 km/h), about the same as the original.

While some conversions keep the car’s original transmission and still allow you to shift gears, this kit has a single fixed ratio. For Miata enthusiasts, rowing their own is one of the highlights of the driving experience, so taking away the shifter will also take something away. However, the fact that the car is still so light, even as an EV, should ensure that the legendary Miata handling persists.

Having so much more torque than the original in such a light car should provide a different kind of fun. You should be able to slide the tail around more in the EV conversion and thanks to electric motors’ instant torque delivery, you should have a lot of control under your right foot.

Steve Drummond, Electrogenic CEO, said about the kit: “We’ve long been intrigued by the concept of a light, well-balanced, rear-wheel-drive electrified modern-classic, one that truly delivers when it comes to the old-school thrill of driving. It seems we weren’t alone, as we’ve received a great deal of interest in the idea of an MX-5 conversion over the years. It’s exciting to finally reveal our creation to the world and give MX-5 fans the chance to electrify one of the most popular sports cars in history.”

To answer the question in the title, you probably don’t want to turn your classic Miata into an EV. However, if that’s the only way you’ll still be allowed to drive one in the future, well, an electric Miata is better than no Miata at all, especially since Mazda is still unclear on the formula an electrified Miata should have.