$10,000 for a Pinto? The cost of going electric in 1976
2008 marked the first time in history that lots of people started thinking seriously about converting cars to electric drive. But it certainly wasn't the first time such conversions were offered. In the wake of the first Middle East oil embargo in the mid-seventies, there were plenty of conversions advertised, including one for the Pinto in this 1976 ad from Special Interest Autos magazine. One of the issues with electric cars has always been cost and this 30-year-old Pinto conversion is no exception. The cost of a Pinto new at that time was probably less than $3,000 and $10,000 was a lot for any car. It's not clear how many of these electric Pintos were ever built, but at least it wouldn't have an exploding gas tank. Of course, there's no guarantee that a Pinto loaded with lead-acid batteries is any safer.
[Source: Hemmings Auto Blogs]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
mike 3:50PM (1/26/2009)
Renault also built a electric car with a range extending engine called the Kangaroo. GM is betting the house the Volt will sell, Renault only sold 500 before canning it. Its always been a buyers market.
Autoblog should do a story on the top 10 electric cars that didnt make it
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JoeP 7:07PM (1/26/2009)
And guess what...it can't explode!
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Stan Wellaway 3:40AM (1/27/2009)
Mike,
The electric Renault Kangoo is still available. See http://car.pege.org/2007-ever-monaco/renault-kangoo.htm
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RON 9:43PM (8/19/2009)
I HAVE A LYMAN ELECTRIC CAR 1974 PINTO RUNABOUT
I NEED SOME INPUT ON THE WIREING