What we have here girls and boys is possibly the best car at SEMA 2018 – a 1949 Mercury Coupe derelict converted into an electric vehicle. This brilliant thing is a creation of California’s ICON 4×4 team.
This is from the ‘Derelict’ range which is essentially a kind of resto-mod car with the exteriors and interiors are left looking as original to preserve the many years of patina. Underneath though, ICON adds modern powertrains and technology, sometimes a crate V8 and sometimes an electric one.
Under this particular Mercury Coupe commissioned by a longtime ICON client, is a powertrain comprising of dual electric motors and a Tesla 85kWh battery. The result is 400bhp, 637Nm, 150 to 300 kilometres of range, and CHAdeMO 125A fast-charger and Tesla Supercharger plugs concealed behind the front number plate and in the original fuel filler cap respectively.
But there’s more to it than just hollowing out an old car and fitting modern organs to it. No, no, no. The batteries have been ‘strategically’ distributed throughout the 1949 Mercury while the motors are installed where the transmission used to be. Under the bonnet, there’s no engine but the battery controllers and various modules are arranged to look like an old-school V8 and finished polished aluminium. Even all the cable and wires get custom sheaths to make it look like the original loom.
The exterior of this beater remains mostly unchanged from the condition it was bought in. ICON did take it apart and put it back together with new rubbers, more insulation sound-deadening though just to make it more usable. In the cabin, the analogue dials have been replaced with a small screen which is perhaps the only clue that this 1949 Mercury is not what it looks like. It also has air conditioning and electric windows operated by the original winders. Nice touch.
If you want one, you can ask the nice people at ICON that is something similar as long as you have the money for the entire build. Looks like Jaguar isn’t the only clever one offering classic cars with EV powertrains huh? What do you think of this Derelict EV? Share your thoughts in the comments below the gallery. Leave a like if you enjoyed this post and don’t forget to subscribe to The Auto Loons for the all the updates on our latest content.
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