Vintage Meets Voltage: How Moment Motor Company Brings Classics to Life

JEROME ANDRE . October 10, 2024 . Electric Vehicle Features

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Moment Motor Company Electrifies Classic Cars

Nestled in Austin, Texas, Moment Motor Company has carved out a niche in transforming beloved classic cars into modern electric marvels. Founded by Marc Davis, a car enthusiast with a penchant for nostalgia and innovation, Moment started with a simple yet ambitious idea: to make classic cars sustainable without stripping them of their soul.

In a world where automotive technology is rapidly evolving, Moment Motor Company offers a bridge between the old and the new.

Marc’s journey into the world of electric conversions began with a moment of clarity—the realization that classic car owners, much like himself, desired the timeless beauty of their vehicles but without the mechanical headaches and environmental guilt.

“Our mission is to keep the chrome but lose the exhaust,” Marc says with a twinkle in his eye. “We want to preserve these beautiful pieces of automotive history and give them a second life with modern electric drivetrains.”

THE modular motor systems developed in-house by Moment Motor Company are designed to fit a variety of classics.

Modular Motor and Battery Systems

Moment’s innovative modular motor and battery systems are at the core of its conversions. These systems are designed with flexibility, allowing them to be adapted to nearly any classic car. Whether it’s a compact British roadster or a brawny American muscle car, the Moment team can configure the perfect powertrain for optimal performance.

The modular motor systems use universal mounting plates, accommodating motors from manufacturers like Cascadia, iNetic, Zonic, Tesla, and Netgain. This flexibility is crucial, ensuring that each car gets a motor that suits its size and performance requirements. The typical capacity for their conversions ranges around 30 kWh to 50 kWh, depending on the space available in the vehicle and the desired range. This is achieved by combining multiple Tesla modules into these modular battery boxes.The direct-drive gearboxes can even eliminate the need for a traditional transmission, although Moment often retains the original drivetrain to preserve the authentic driving experience.

Battery placement is another critical aspect. Classic cars require a more creative approach than modern EVs with batteries integrated into the chassis. Moment’s modular battery enclosure systems are scalable and can be placed wherever there’s space in the vehicle, maintaining or sometimes optimizing the car’s weight distribution and handling characteristics. These systems use high-density batteries, often reclaimed from Tesla Model S vehicles, ensuring that the converted classics are not just green but also pack a punch in performance.

Original Essence Plus

One of the most appealing aspects of a Moment conversion is how it retains the essence of the original car while introducing modern reliability and performance. Imagine cruising in a 1968 Porsche, but instead of worrying about engine stalls and oil leaks, you enjoy the silent power and instant torque of an electric motor. The car feels like the classic you fell in love with, but better—no warm-up times, no mechanical anxiety, just pure driving pleasure.

Marc Davis puts it best: “We’re preserving these cars and the memories they hold, but making them more enjoyable and sustainable for everyday use. It’s about creating moments that last, without the baggage of the past.”

The stories behind each conversion are as unique as the cars themselves. Take, for example, the 1982 Toyota Hilux from Australia. A rare four-door pickup that was never sold in the US, this vehicle turned heads when it arrived at Moment’s shop. The owner had fond memories of driving the two-door version as a kid and wanted to share that joy with his family. By converting it to electric, he not only preserved a piece of automotive history but also ensured that it would be a reliable and sustainable part of his life in San Francisco.

Customization at Its Core

Walking into Moment Motor Company’s Austin-based workshop is like stepping into a laboratory where science meets art. The team, a dedicated group of engineers, designers, and automotive enthusiasts, works tirelessly to ensure every car that rolls out of the shop is a testament to their commitment to excellence and innovation.

Moment’s approach to each conversion is deeply personal and highly customizable. The modular motor and battery systems they’ve developed are a stroke of genius, allowing the team to tailor the powertrain to the specific needs and characteristics of each vehicle. This modularity is crucial because it means that no matter the make or model of the classic car, Moment can engineer a solution that fits perfectly and performs flawlessly.

The Moment Modular Battery Enclosure Systems are designed to be scalable, allowing for battery packs to be built with buildable bricks that can be placed in various orientations within the vehicle.

For instance, their use of universal mounting plates and customizable support rails allows for a seamless integration of various electric motors into the vintage chassis. This flexibility is further extended by their innovative battery enclosure systems, which can be configured to fit wherever space is available in the vehicle. This ensures that the weight distribution and handling characteristics of the car remain as close to the original as possible, preserving the driving experience that made these classics beloved in the first place.

Innovative Solutions for Classic Challenges

Moment Motor Company’s ability to marry modern technology with classic car design is rooted in their innovative solutions to age-old automotive challenges. One of the standout features of their conversions is the use of the Moment Modular Systems. This approach not only provides the flexibility needed to adapt to various car architectures but also ensures consistency and reliability across all conversions.

The modular motor systems, for instance, come with universal mounting plates that can accommodate motors from multiple manufacturers, such as Cascadia, iNetic, Tesla, and Netgain. This means that whether the car is a compact British roadster or a hefty American muscle car, the motor can be customized to fit perfectly. The direct-drive gearboxes are another example of their innovation, allowing for the elimination of traditional transmissions, which simplifies the conversion process and enhances performance.

A MOMENT Motor technician carefully modifies the dash and firewall in anticipation of the new EV system.

Preservation Meets Modernity

A key philosophy at Moment Motor Company is preserving the original driving experience. Marc Davis and his team understand that classic car enthusiasts value the tactile connection they have with their vehicles. By bolting the electric motors to the original drivetrains, including the transmissions, Moment ensures that drivers can still enjoy the familiar sensation of shifting gears but with the added thrill of instant torque and silent operation. This careful balance of preservation and innovation is evident in their projects, such as the conversion of a 1970 BMW 1602. This vehicle, originally modest in power, now boasts a dual-motor setup from HP EVs, significantly enhancing its performance while maintaining its classic charm. The careful placement of battery modules in both the front and rear of the vehicle ensures that it handles just as the original designers intended, if not better

A Passion for Performance

The team at Moment is not just about making cars run cleaner; they are passionate about making them run better. This means that every conversion is an opportunity to enhance the vehicle’s performance, reliability, and usability. Using high-density Tesla Model S battery modules ensures that their conversions have the best energy storage solutions available, providing ample power and range for everyday driving.

However, it’s not just about performance metrics. The team also pays close attention to new components’ aesthetic and functional integration. This meticulous attention to detail is what sets Moment apart from other conversion shops. For example, using aircraft-grade adhesives and precision CNC-machined battery boxes ensures structural integrity and maintains the pristine look of the car’s interior and exterior.

Customer Connections and Community

One of Moment Motor Company’s unique aspects is the way it keeps its clients involved and informed throughout the conversion process. Each client gets a private blog that is updated weekly, documenting the progress of their car’s transformation. This transparency keeps clients engaged and builds a sense of community and shared passion among classic car enthusiasts. Marc Davis believes in the power of storytelling. Every car has a story, and every conversion is a new chapter in that story. Whether it’s a family heirloom or a lifelong dream car, the team at Moment treats each vehicle with the care and respect it deserves. This dedication to preserving history while embracing innovation is what makes Moment Motor Company a leader in the field of classic car conversions.

Looking to the Future

As Moment Motor Company continues to grow, it remains committed to its core values of sustainability, preservation, and performance. With a waiting list that stretches over a year, it’s clear that the demand for their unique services is only increasing. But for Marc and his team, it’s not just about business; it’s about passion. It’s about creating moments that last a lifetime and cars that can be enjoyed by future generations without the environmental impact of traditional internal combustion engines.

Transforming a classic car into an electric vehicle is a significant investment, and Moment Motor Company is upfront about the costs involved. Depending on the type of car, its existing condition, and the desired enhancements, the price for a conversion can range from $50,000 to $150,000. This investment reflects the custom nature of each project and the high-quality components used in the conversions. Despite the cost, the value offered by Moment’s conversions is evident in the final product’s enhanced performance, reliability, and sustainability. Clients are not just purchasing a service; they are investing in preserving automotive history and creating a modern, enjoyable driving experience.

So, if you cherish a classic car and want to drive into the future, Moment Motor Company is where your dreams can become a reality. After all, it’s not just about the car; it’s about creating moments that last a lifetime.