Start-up company in the UAE Unveils Innovative Vintage Car

The business transitions electric vehicles from internal combustion engines to electric motors and will exhibit its work at the Cop28.

Dubai's pioneering company, Fuse, is steering classic cars toward an eco-friendly future by replacing internal combustion engines with EV motors. This innovative approach to sustainability will be showcased at Cop28.

Can classic cars, long reliant on internal combustion engines, find a place in the journey toward sustainable motoring? Fuse, a UAE-based startup, seems to believe so.

With around six million classic cars still cruising roads and occupying garages worldwide, Fuse from Dubai is on a mission. Founded in 2022, the company is introducing services to retrofit EV engines into these timeless vehicles.

Their strategy also involves pre-packaged kits for technicians to install in their workshops. To exhibit their concept's prowess, they've fitted one such kit into a 1998 Toyota Hilux, to be unveiled at Cop28.

Salman Hussain, Fuse's CEO, emphasizes the environmental impact reduction, stating that by merely swapping the drivetrain, they can slash up to 80% of embedded emissions. This approach, according to Hussain, promotes EV adoption while minimizing planetary harm.

The process involves removing the engine and drivetrain components, draining oils, and assessing the vehicle's interior to design the EV drivetrain. Subsequently, the EV components are installed, the car is prepped and cleaned, culminating in engine installation.

Additional upgrades are considered for weight distribution, handling, and cornering to complement the new drivetrain. Fuse asserts that the retrofitted car not only runs daily but likely outperforms its combustion engine version.

However, such engine swaps come with a price tag. For one-offs, costs start at Dh89,000 ($24,200) for cars and Dh40,000 for smaller vehicles. Looking ahead, Fuse aims to offer pre-prepared kits for about $20,000, enabling easier scalability and cost efficiency.

Despite emissions data showing classic cars emitting 563kg of CO2 annually, convincing traditional classic car enthusiasts to transition to electric may pose quite some challenges. Yet, Fuse remains hopeful, highlighting that many classic car enthusiasts value aesthetics and personality over power trains, making EV conversions a viable option. Fuse sees EV conversions as a means to preserve heritage while offering a unique look and solving issues associated with part scarcity and lengthy repairs, a move that resonates with those passionate about classic cars.

 

Source: thenationalnews.com