You can now retrofit your old diesel car with an EV kit

EV charging | Representative image

Owners of diesel cars in Delhi that are over ten years old, needn’t lament the inevitable scrapping of their prized possession any longer. As per the state’s recently introduced law, no diesel vehicle older than 10 years is allowed to run on public roads and as such was given a one-way ticket to the scrap yard. Until now, that is. Diesels older than 10 years can now be allowed to operate on Delhi NCR roads, provided they are retrofitted with an EV powertrain.

This new lease on life has been provided to ageing diesel cars in light of Delhi’s staggering rise in pollution levels. Not only does the move allow car owners to salvage their possessions, it also expands the EV ecosystem, with aftermarket retrofitting companies stepping-in to get a slice of the EV market. Of course, not every kit maker is free to install an EV battery and more, in your car. According to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot, only certified EV kit makers will be empanelled by the state government. The selection for said kit makers will be done by “testing agencies” according to Gehlot’s tweet. Furthermore, there isn’t going to be a “one-size fits all” retrofitting process, as each individual car model is to receive its own EV kit certification.

The move to retrofit nearly obsolete vehicles with zero or low emission powertrains isn’t new to India. In 1998, a Supreme Court ruling stated that Delhi’s polluting diesel state transport buses be either taken off the road or retrofitted with CNG kits. However, the certification process for individual models makes it more challenging and time consuming for EV kit makers to install a kit.

To begin with, the diesel car or SUV will be stripped of all its ICE components - engine, fuel tank, exhaust, drivetrain. Once the car has been hollowed out underneath the bonnet, leaving only the chassis, lower arm etc., this is followed by the installation of an electric motor (DC, mostly) and a battery pack. Modern-day EVs have their battery pack placed across the floor board, and this is usually not possible on retro-fitted cars, which have to have the batteries placed wherever they can be accommodated.

EV retrofitting is great for the rapid development of EV infrastructure as it leads to more widespread adoption of the technology

In addition to this a conversion kit requires a power controller to regulate the flow of energy, a recharging system to allow the flow of electricity to the li-ion batteries and a few other tweaks to power the car’s other electronic functions. Then you’ll need a transmission adapter kit along with a controller and a chill plate to keep the controller cool. A domestic charging system will also need to be included.

EV kits are a more cost-effective method of switching to electric. Especially considering your only other alternative is to buy another relatively new ICE vehicle. In some cases however, particularly with entry-level cars, you’re better off purchasing a new ICE vehicle since the cost of retrofitting might exceed it.

However, EV retrofitting is great for the rapid development of EV infrastructure as it leads to more widespread adoption of the technology – a factor the Delhi government has kept in mind before introducing this initiative. In addition to diesels retrofitted with EV powertrains, LCV ((light commercial vehicles) featuring EV powertrains will also be allowed to ply and park on public roads during no-entry hours.

Several EV models introduced by car manufacturers have essentially been tweaked to accomodate an EV powertrain, and will continue to do so. Tata Motors, for example, has created a powertrain agnostic platform in the form of its latest ALFA platform. However, future EVs will be built from scratch, and will have a weight and component-related advantage over retrofitted ones. Also, buying an EV from an EV manufacturer will get you longer warranty on the battery pack and access to a more extensive, reliable service network, which a tiny EV kit maker may not. For the longevity of EV ownership, conversion can be tricky.

Features like regenerative braking require tweaking the electric motor and can add to retrofitting costs. These will most likely be missing from base-level EV kits and lead to reduced range. The placement of battery packs, usually across the floorboard of a ground-up BEV, gives the car a much better centre of gravity and driving dynamics.

Fortunately, India already has a thriving EV kit making ecosystem which includes start-ups like Loop Moto, North Way Motor Sport and Altigreen along with established players like Bosch which is also a key component manufacturer for global EV manufacturers. While the start-ups are yet to be empanelled by the state’s regulatory authorities and test agencies, a lot of them might end up being the first kit maker you approach in the future. However, most of them have established themselves using lighter and smaller vehicles and the cost and efficacy of retrofitting bulky SUVs with diesel powertrains remains to be seen.