Every year at PRI, we expect to see all things related to horsepower. You can find a wide array of vehicles at the trade show, from drag cars, offroad trucks, race boats, motorcycles, and other high-performance items. However, this year, instead of just fossil-fueled engines, PRI had something else on display: electric vehicles. And while these are not new concepts, this is the first time that we have seen PRI dedicate an area for EVs. With the world moving at a breakneck pace toward electric cars and trucks, more and more companies are getting involved, whether you like it or not. 

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is known for building late-model high-performance cars and trucks. And while we prefer custom supercharged LS and LT vehicles, like their supercharged C8 Corvette, we have to admit they unveiled a cool EV project with Chevrolet Performance. However, like most of you, we’re still not on board the EV train. But, this build is unique and compelling to us because it blurs the lines between a muscle car and an electric vehicle. 

One of many unique features about this build is that the eCrate motor is installed where the internal combustion engine once lived. And unlike the new model EV vehicles, the motor connects to a 4l60e transmission to drive the rear wheels. Mark Rapson, COO/VP Operations of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, said, “Part of the program was to try and figure out how to bridge the two technologies and not having to go and convert everything to direct axle drive. This allows the vehicle to look and drive like a conventional car but still have an electric drivetrain.” Some other areas that the Lingenfelter team had to figure out how to make work were the vacuum brakes, power steering, and air conditioning.

Since the eLcamino does have conventional power steering and transmission, we were interested in how the vehicle drives. Rapson said, 

“When you’re driving down the road, you really don’t notice it’s electric until you step on the pedal. You still get the same transition of power because of the transmission.” 

Before starting this project with General Motors, the Lingenfelter team went through the GM EV training classes to get certified. “The partnership with GM allowed us to learn from them, and the background behind EVs was paramount in enabling us to have a smooth integration,” Rapson explained.”

If you don’t think EVs are coming to the hot rod world, we have bad news for you because they are coming, and this project is proof of the future. Rapson said, “GM came to us with a concept. They know that the future is going to involve EV in the hot rodding market, and there’s going to be a transition. So, instead of putting in a high-performance LS in the El Camino, we need to figure out a way to do this. And using conceptual OEM components was their way of integrating it all together, and we were able to validate it with this build.”

The eLcamino certainly muddies the waters between two very different technologies and, surprisingly, seamlessly. And while EV conversions aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, including ours, it will be interesting to see if they will be a thing of the future or just a modern-day fad. Only time will tell.