Forget my usual prose for once. Had you told me ten years ago that electric vehicles would be where they are today, I would have rolled out a list of suggestions for places you could go and what you could do when you got there. Outside of the freak-show Tesla Roadster, which was at the time a novel way of selling the Lotus Elise, and a couple hits and misses, there was no way to know that cars like the Tesla Model S would have the impact they would have. Manufacturers are jumping left over right to put a plug-in something or other out on the roads, and the supercar builders, the last people on Earth I would’ve expected to have touched EV powertrains, have used electrical assists to find the difference between “Holy hell!” and “HOLY F*$!” out of their money-laden buyers. It’s honestly amazing how far things have come. You can go buy a Tesla Model S P100D, kick on Ludicrous Mode, and proceed to make everybody in the car clench their cheeks in unison as your five-door hatchback rips off a 2.28 0-60 MPH run. And that’s in a car that can weight damn near 5,000 pounds.
Now take a look at this little beast. This is a 1981 Honda Accord that is quickly flying around the Internet, known as Teslonda. It’s a bit of a kitbash: a Tesla electric motor at the rear, a lithium-ion battery that was raided from a Chevrolet Volt, and the overall look of a straight-axle gasser. It might sound like a remote-controlled car in action, but you can’t say this thing doesn’t move out. It’s a different take on the electric dragster idea…cars like the “Zombie 222” Mustang and “White Zombie” Datsun 1200 have done it before, but not with parts raided from cars readily available on the market now. With Chevrolets, Nissans and Teslas appearing in good numbers, it’s no longer the slightly deranged guy in his garage with a ton of batteries on a pallet putting together EV screamers. What say you, readers?
If it doesn’t make smoke and noise, and burn fossil fuel or gunpowder, I’m not interested…I don’t care how fast it goes.
+1
Be it fossil, steam or electric…anything that makes wheels spin is cool. 🙂
Thank you !! For not calling it a Gasser. Look of a Gasser – sure. I have no problem with electric hot rods. It’s “your” project, “your” money, time and effort –
build what makes you happy. Besides- it’s a cool weird looking kit bash.
“Gasser” would definitely be inappropriate here! Maybe call it a “Battery Altered.”
Just a matter of time before battery technology improves to the point of insanity. Ultra quick discharge rate are going to make one hell of a street car. Complete driveabilty and 1000’s of foot pounds of torque at 0 rpm. Will it have the feel, smell and sounds? Nope. I think there will always be a place for petrol because it’s got soul.
It’s a real-scale version of my RC-10T. What’s not to like? Seriously, though, speed is speed, no matter how it’s accomplished. Any true hot-rodder understands this.
Cars powered by other means WILL be the only thing we have someday so better our nations brightest minds in the hot rod community tackle it today rather than have generic \”people movers\” forced on us in the future.
I would have left it stock looking myself. Embarrass those Hemis. I want one.
Kind of like a remote control car you can actually drive.
That thing is one of the biggest piles of shit ever to be seen on these pages and if the pillow biting faggots that love electric cars want to build and race “hot rods” let them do it near a very high cliff….
I\’ve said it before and I\’ll say it again, we occasionally agree but sometimes your full of shit. Like it or not it\’s the way forward lol.
I always have an always will be a muscle car guy, don\’t get me wrong. I\’d rather have a thumping ford engine any day or…*GASP* a turbo\’d LS. But if electric hot rods and sports cars can get to the point they move out like a Tesla P85D in ludicrious mode, then I\’ll take the hit to save the planet for my future kids. Gas doesn\’t have to get replaced, but your gonna have to get used to this kinda stuff.
Mind actually replying to my comment with why you dislike it, or you gonna ignore me again geordie?
Hear they’re testing a road in Britain that charges electric cars as you drive! Happy “pillow munching” CHMG!!!
Asshat^^^^^
CHMG is the asshat!
State your personal opinions on other peoples choice of vehicle all you like, but leave comments about sexual orientation as an insult to yourself.
I never liked the idea of electric cars of any kind until I saw Garlits dragster.
There is tons of innovation going on around electric – look at nedra for drag racing, hillclimb pikes peak cars, and the electric street cars that are slowly becoming mainstream.
Unfortunately what comes with electric- autonomous driving and associated tracking- means the end of ‘driving’ as we currently know it is coming soon. To drive your own car whether gas, diesel or electric is going to command a premium on insurance etc, and gps will block where and when you can go places.
So to answer the question hot rodding, whether electric or fossil fuel powered, has the usual fight on its hands. I’ve got nothing against electric and will build a car soon, but the usual suspects will work hard to make modification hard and tightly restrict power and range…
Doesn’t fit the definition of the term ” hot rod ” in any way .
I would disagree because
A bunch of parts, home engineered to work together to make it go faster than stock…..
Pretty much the definition of a early hot rod. Just because it’s a hot rod doesn’t make it desirable though.
Hydrogen can be burned Cleanly in an ICE Mercedes Benz has worked on it , Yes EV is every bit a Hot Rod just like I re-wired the wifes little friend for improved performance other than a respite doesn\’t do a thing for me , prefer the Visceral attack on the senses that I get from ICE Hot Rods
HATE THEM. Battery powered cars are NOT Hot Rods and never will be.
at least the builder has a sense of humor. It’s got all the earmarks of a gow job. Improvised performance.
I really liked Matt Cramer’s name for it. Battery Altered. Perfect. I hate the car but I love the intent. I bet it hurts some feelings.. From the comments, it sounds like it already has… mission accomplished.
There’s plenty of room for this junk in my world.
I hate it and love it at the same time.
EV drag racing will be more boring than poweglide drag racing is now. Long live the gear jammin stick shift drag cars.