Healey by Revival Autos

The idea of taking a classic car and replacing its engine with an electric powertrain is something that divides opinion amongst enthusiasts, but our display of alternatively fuelled vehicles wouldn’t be complete without one. And what a gorgeous car it is, too.

It has been created by the London-based Revival Autos, a company that was launched earlier this year and that has chosen the popular Austin Healey for its first conversion. In this case it’s the BJ8 model that was originally powered by a 3.0-litre C-Series engine.

That big straight-six has made way for something more high-tech, though, in the form of a Nissan-sourced electric motor that produces 150hp. It delivers its drive to the rear wheels via a 4-speed gearbox with overdrive, and there’s no shortage of performance - 0-60mph is achieved in six seconds with a top speed of more than 100mph. That’s more than enough to have fun, we’d say!

That performance is helped by the fact that this Healey weighs less than 1200kg, but the one question people always ask about electric vehicles is “how far will it go?” Well, the answer is that Revival claim a range of up to 150 miles before a recharge is needed. Okay, so long distance touring will require a bit of planning but it should prove fine for enjoyable weekend drives.

It might be rather different beneath the bonnet, but what hasn’t changed is the glorious styling that attracts so many enthusiasts to this traditional British roadster, and the characterful interior is still present and correct. 

The company say their aim is to “revive legends from the past through a focus on sustainability” and that they plan to distribute ten percent of the profits to charities chose by the owner’s club. So, what do you think about this future of classic cars?