Ford has joined the growing force ensuring that classic cars can stay on the road even in a future where gasoline might be hard to come by or even banned. The automaker last year unveiled an electric crate motor dubbed the Eluminator, and demonstrated it in a restomodded F-100 that Jay Leno recently got to sample.
The Eluminator is the same motor used in the Mustang Mach-E GT, and it generates a peak 281 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Ford actually used two of them in the F-100 that Leno drove, giving the vehicle acceleration to rival modern sports cars.
Naturally the funny man was impressed with the performance, though he was a bit disappointed by Ford's decision to get rid of the F-100's original gauges and replace them with digital screens from the Mach-E GT. Note, Ford didn't handle the build all on its own. It worked with MLe Racecars of North Bend, Washington, a company that specializes in EV conversions for drag racing.
Right now building something like the electric F-100 isn't a cheap process. Just the motor by itself costs $3,900. You'll also need a battery which will cost significantly more, plus an inverter and all the necessary wiring. Prices should subside as EVs become mainstream, and by then you should be able to get turnkey solutions, something Ford plans to offer.
Ford isn't the only major automaker in this space. Chevrolet is readying its own electric crate motor, which it has previewed in a 1962 C-10 and 1977 K5 Blazer. And there's also a growing number of tuning firms offering EV conversions for all sorts of vehicles.
