BMW 1602 electric: a classic with an electric motor for driving with style

Some people want to enjoy classic vehicles without giving up the possibility of having a drivetrain that produces no polluting emissions. So there are companies that specialise in converting cars with combustion engines into cars powered by an electric motor. On this occasion we are going to talk about Electric Classic Cars, a British company that has transformed a BMW 1602 into a fully electric car.

The car was spotted plugged into a charging point in a supermarket car park, which has attracted quite a lot of curiosity. This classic model was launched in 1966 and was replaced by successive generations over the years. Today, it can be found as an electric vehicle thanks to this vehicle conversion company.

A classic with an electric heart

The BMW 1602 transformed by Electric Classic Cars delivers a power output of 120 CV and a maximum torque of 237 Nm, which is not bad at all. The electric motor is powered by electricity stored in a pack of 8 LG Chem batteries located at the front. Another eight identical modules are housed in the boot. The capacity of each of these modules is 2.5 kWh, so in total they add up to 40 kWh.

The electric motor is coupled to the standard transmission and allows manual gear changes, which gives it more authenticity. The interior has also been renewed and changed. The upholstery is now red and black leather, and it features a more modern steering wheel and an updated instrument cluster.

It is worth adding that a multimedia screen has been incorporated so the driver can enjoy current technology and make use of the navigation system and other services that are standard in today’s cars.

As an interesting fact, this model had two electric prototypes in 1972, which were shown at the Munich Olympic Games. Obviously, they never reached production, but they showed the world that BMW was already on the path to electrification, a path that today, 50 years later, it is successfully travelling.