jaunt ev

Fellten EV conversions: Australia's Jaunt merges to become world's largest in the game

Melbourne-based jaunt motors announces merger that will expand its operations..

M elbourne-based business Jaunt Motors will merge with Zero EV to form a new business called Fellten , making it the largest electric vehicle conversions company in the world.

Cool. Who even are Jaunt and Zero EV?

Jaunt began back in 2019 as a crowdfunding initiative to encourage EV four-wheel driving with a "distributed manufacturing model", effectively allowing community groups to buy an electric Land Rover for business use.

Since its founding, Jaunt has grown to be Australia's largest electric conversion workshop, converting 4WD vehicles into EVs that can be purchased or rented.

Zero EV , based in Bristol in the UK, says its driving purpose has been to offer quality parts for electric vehicles, aiming to increase reliability and offer solid after-sales support and training with accessible pricing.

According to SmartCompany , the completion of the merger will create a new entity named Fellten, which will aim to take the EV conversion business global – supplying conversion systems (and training programs) to workshops in Europe, North America, and of course Australia.

What they said

According to Fellten CEO Chris Hazell, the merger "will provide classic vehicle customers with any level of electrification support, and provide automotive experts, mechanics and electric vehicle converters with the technology, tools and training to be a part of the growing global demand for electrification."

Co-founder and CEO of Jaunt Motors, Dave Bulge added, "Every vehicle on the road will need to be electric by 2050 for us to achieve net zero emissions and classic car owners will want their vehicle to be electric much sooner. With production facilities on three continents, industry-leading technology and development capabilities, Fellten is ready to meet those needs for consumers and the automotive industry."

Fellten claims their products and initiatives will allow conversions to be performed on any vehicle from any era, rather than being focussed on classic 4WD vehicles from Land Rover - a Make originally selected by Jaunt for their use of aluminium panels and their body-on-frame construction (which makes them easier to modify).

The UK and Australian operations will expand in 2023 along with a North American facility opening in 2023.

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Aussie classic 4WD startup becomes biggest global EV conversion manufacturer

Much like the classic cars it converts, Jaunt Motors is about to undergo a transformation. Today it has announced a merger with Zero EV to become the biggest EV conversion manufacturer in the world.

The Melbourne-based Jaunt Motors has made a name for itself by converting beautiful old-school 4WD into fully electric vehicles. The startup was founded by Marteen Burger and Dave Budge due to their love of 4WDs and passion for encouraging EV uptake in Australia.

Now it will enter the next phase of its road trip with the Bristol-based Zero EV to become Fellten. Rather poetically, the name is Welsh for lightning. The news was announced at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

While Jaunt Motors catered largely for the consumer market, Zero EV has a focus on producing electric conversion OEM parts for B2B and supply chain support.

The company will operate across three continents, allowing for exponential growth and an international supply chain. Automotive workshops and vehicle restorers across Australia, Europe and North America will be able to use the Fellten electric conversion system to upgrade classic cars to EVs.

Fellten wants to make EV conversion practical and global

According to the company, this will enable cars from any era to become a daily driver, rather than a collectible or enthusiast car. Some of the brands Fellten has already created systems for include Classic MINIs, Porsche 911s and Land Rovers.

“Fellten powered vehicles are re-fitted to improve safety, handling, comfort, usability and performance and sustainability, all without sacrificing the classic style of the car,” the company said.

The company has also developed approved training programs to help upskill staff to work with electric vehicles — including OEM technicians and mechanics as well as film industry professionals working with cars.

“We are delighted to launch Fellten — it’s the culmination of years of work from two teams working on other sides of the world, coming together with the shared ambition in shaping the future of electric vehicles,” CEO of Fellten, Chris Hazell, said in a statement. Hazell was previously the CEO and co-founder of Zero EV.

“The merging of our two companies into the singular Fellten will provide classic vehicle customers with any level of electrification support, and provide automotive experts, mechanics and electric vehicle converters with the technology, tools and training to be a part of the growing global demand for electrification.”

Jaunt co-founder and CEO, Dave Budge, will now be the chief design officer of Fellten. He pointed to the importance of electric vehicle uptake, which is also detailed on the Jaunt Motors website . For perspective, Australia only just announced its first federal incentive for EV adoption in last week’s federal budget.

“Every vehicle on the road will need to be electric by 2050 for us to achieve net zero emissions and classic car owners will want their vehicle to be electric much sooner. With production facilities on three continents, industry-leading technology and development capabilities, Fellten is ready to meet those needs for consumers and the automotive industry,” Budge said in a statement.

“With the support of the global Fellten engineering team, proprietary EV technology and strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers, Fellten provides specialist and luxury vehicle customers with complete electrification support, from design to technology development to delivery.”

Felltan will open its North American facility in early 2023. It will also be expanding its Australian and UK production, but further details won’t be announced for a few months.

Jaunt will also be leading a Today at Apple session in Sydney on November 2: Design Lab: Driving Sustainability

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Australian EV conversion startup merges with UK firm to turn classic cars electric

Merged Australian-UK firm will convert Porsche 911s, Mini Coopers, Land Rovers and Land Rover Defenders into EVs

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An Australian startup adding modern technology to classic Land Rovers will become part of one of the biggest electric vehicle conversion companies in the world this week after merging with a British firm.

Melbourne-based Jaunt Motors will partner with Zero EV to create Fellten, which will operate across Australia, the UK and North America.

The co-founder of Jaunt Motors, Dave Budge, said the merger was not just about converting more classic cars with electric motors themselves but helping car owners and mechanics to make the switch too.

“We’re scaling up to deliver hundreds of units next year and beyond,” he said. “And the biggest thing is awareness. Most people don’t know that this is even possible.”

Sign up for our free morning and afternoon email newsletters from Guardian Australia for your daily news roundup

The co-founder of Zero EV, Chris Hazell, said the new company would provide mechanics and enthusiasts “with the technology, tools and training to be a part of the growing global demand for electrification”.

“It’s the culmination of years of work from two teams working on either sides of the world, coming together with the shared ambition in shaping the future of electric vehicles,” he said.

Electric vehicles represented just 3.39% of new car sales in Australia until September, but the new firm will convert existing petrol vehicles, including Porsche 911s, Mini Coopers, Land Rover and Land Rover Defender vehicles, into EVs to boost their numbers.

Budge said demand for the service in Australia was already high, with bookings “stretching into 2024”, and its customers were mostly Land Rover enthusiasts who wanted to bring new life to their vehicles.

“I was looking around the workshop yesterday and we’ve got seven cars in build and none of those cars are going to someone who has a classic car collection,” he said.

“We’re seeing families, farmers, all kinds of different people. If you want a true full-drive electric vehicle on the market in Australia there isn’t one. Even though the conversion is expensive … it’s comparable with the price of a new Land Rover.”

Restoring and electrifying a Land Rover typically cost $125,000, he said, and was made easier by its shape that he likened to a “garden shed on wheels”.

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He and Marteen Burger, who created the company together in 2018, had developed creative ways to upgrade the vehicles using Apple iPads and iPhones and apps including Shapr3D and Procreate.

“From day one, I was sketching this stuff on an iPad,” Budge said. “Now we have iPhones throughout the workshop.

“With [augmented reality], the design and engineering team models components. Squeezing everything in is the hardest job.”

The pair will share some of their tricks with Apple users, and let them customise a 3D Land Rover model, at a free workshop in Sydney this Wednesday.

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Melbourne startup converting classic cars into EVs scales bolt-in manufacturing with UK merger

Bolt-in electric vehicle kits in Australia have just got a leg up, with Melbourne startup Jaunt Motors joining forces with UK company Zero EV to operate a new, larger scale business to have production facilities and operations across Australia, the UK and, “very soon,” the US.

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Dave Budge, the cofounder of Jaunt Motors is now Head of Design at Fellton

Image: Jaunt Motors

Jaunt Motors, a Melbourne startup specialising in converting classic Land Rovers into electric vehicles, is partnering with fellow conversion specialists, Zero EV, based in the UK.

After working together for more than a year, the two companies will merge to form Fellton, a design, development and manufacturing company for bolt-in electric vehicle (EV) kits.

The partnership will grow the scale of both businesses, which new Fellton CEO Chris Hazell says will see expansion beyond Australia and the UK into North America.

In a company statement, Hazell added Fellton will be bringing production facilities online “very soon” to allow companies across the continents to buy bolt-in systems which allow any car to become electric.

“As we grow the number of models we support, and supply systems and components to other workshops, you can transform any car, from any era into a reliable, joyful drive with comparable range and charging speed to a new EV,” Dave Budge, cofounder of Jaunt and now Head of Design at Fellton, said on LinkedIn.

Jaunt has been specialising in ‘up-cycling’ 1958 to 2015 Land Rovers into EVs using Tesla battery packs – an exercise which typically costs $125,000 (USD 80,000).

Speaking to The Guardian , Budge said the biggest obstacle the startup has encountered so far is awareness. “Most people don’t know that this is even possible.”

Electric vehicle uptake in Australia has lagged the rest of the world, with EVs accounting for just 3.39% of total new car sales in 2022. That said, this figure is a 65% boost from the year before – demonstrating interest is there.

The slow uptake in Australia has largely been attributed to the country’s lack of fuel efficiency standards , which are commonplace in the rest of the developed world, with Australia and Russia the only outliers. Until recently, Australian governments offered very limited rebates or incentives to drive EV uptake – though the tone here has changed notably in 2022.

While still expensive, EV conversion is an interesting proposition – especially given the fact a significant amount of a vehicle’s CO2 emissions come from their manufacturing.

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“Oh. My. Gosh:” Jaunt unveils bright red electric Mini Cooper conversion

• July 15, 2023
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• 3 minute read
• Jacinta Bowler

Jaunt Motors has just unveiled its first Mini Cooper electric conversion, and it’s very red.  

The Jaunt team have had a big year of changes. The company which specialised in converting old Land Rovers into electric vehicles, merged with UK-based conversion company Zero EV to form Fellten – a technology development company.

Now, they’ve moved on from just Land Rovers, and have been working on their first Mini – a bright red 1995 model imported from Japan.  

“We put a 19-kilowatt hour battery pack in the car, and a 70-kilowatt motor. So, the battery pack is small, but it maintains the original weight and the original weight balance of the car,” Jaunt Motors CEO Dave Budge told The Driven.

“If you start messing with the weight, you start messing with what made it unique.

“We’re able to have something that has all the character and fun, but is a lot faster, and a lot easier to drive and a lot more responsive.”

In fact, Budge told readers of his newsletter that a work out on a track was mighty impressive.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” he wrote.  “I know we’re biased but an electric motor is the way this should have always been powered.”

Two thirds of the battery pack is under the bonnet, while a third of the pack and the charger is in the rear. The car is also fully automatic and has had the dashboard replaced to look more like a 60s model. The total cost for the conversion was $60,000, significantly cheaper than the Land Rovers with larger batteries and motors.  

Doing a WLTP range analysis, the car had a range of 170 kilometres, however Budge suggests that because it is such a small battery, it is much quicker to recharge.  

“It’s still a classic car and aerodynamics are not it’s strong suit,” he said.  

“The good trade-off is a 19 kilowatt hour battery pack with six kilowatt onboard charger … 20% to 80% charging, it’s an under two hour charge.”

The red Mini was able to be built in just a few weeks because most of the work for the electric battery and motor was done long before it reaches the car.  

“This is not an EV conversion where it takes six months to a year before something rolls out the shop,” says Budge.  

“You can buy a package and drive it in as petrol and drive it out as an EV in two weeks and have a much better car for it.”

The trick is their ‘universal battery system’, where both the motor and battery pack are designed to be able to fit almost anywhere that a small petrol engine would be.  

Although Jaunt have recently moved into a bigger warehouse so they can work on multiple cars at once, they are not trying to scale up to do more car conversions – instead hoping to train vintage car mechanics around the country to install Fellten’s battery pack system.  

“People can buy this great thing and do all the normal car stuff around it,” says Budge.  

“All this skill exists around the country to build amazing cars. If we can take away the hard, different bit – building a high voltage, highly technical battery pack – then that makes it easy for people to do all kinds of conversions.”

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Jaunt Motors’ Knack for Converting Classic Aussie-Owned Cars Into EVs Is Going Global

Electric vehicle conversions are often seen as a useful solution to making widespread internal combustion engine vehicles more environmentally friendly. It’s a good idea, utilising the drivetrain and chassis of the car, while swapping out the engine, fuel tank and other petrol-dependent parts, replacing them with batteries and electric motors.

The problem is that this is  very expensive.  A mechanic that specialises in EV conversions told Gizmodo Australia back in February that the cumulative cost, including parts and labour, would be over $70,000.

But electric vehicle conversions are very popular in one specific car niche: classic cars. This has been the crux of Melbourne-based Jaunt’s business and is key to its merger with Zero EV. Brought to our attention by The Guardian , the two companies as Fellten Motors will be focusing heavily on classic car conversions.

“We’ve been working closely with the Zero EV team for over a year now to pool together all of our experience in engineering, design, quality assurance, to deliver some amazing products,” said Dave Budge , the CEO of Jaunt Motors, in the video above. He’s now the head of design at Fellten.

Budge says that Fellten (the Welsh word for ‘lightning’) is a “design, development and manufacturing company for bolting electric vehicle kits”.

“Working closely with Jaunt means that we now have facilities in Australia, UK and very soon in the U.S.. We’re bringing our production facilities online very soon,” added Chris Hazel, the co-founder of ZEO and the CEO of Felten.

“That means your company can buy bolt-in systems to allow your business to move into the 21st century.”

Jaunt Motors will now be known as Fellten Australia, and as the company establishes itself across the continents, it’s set to become one of the world’s largest electric vehicle conversion companies. While they’ll continue developing pre-made conversion kits, Fellten will also provide electric vehicle conversion training .

But do keep in mind that Fellten is focusing on classic cars, not just any car. So far, Fellten has developed systems for Porsche 911s, classic Minis and Land Rover Defenders, three widely popular classic car models. The company says that more kits are on the way for other models.

“Every vehicle on the road will need to be electric by 2050 for us to achieve net zero emissions and classic car owners will want their vehicle to be electric much sooner,” added Budge.

“With the support of the global Fellten engineering team, proprietary EV technology and strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers, Fellten provides specialist and luxury vehicle customers with complete electrification support, from design to technology development to delivery.”

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Cottage industry emerges for mechanics as classic car owners convert petrol vehicles to electric

The relentless move towards electric vehicles (EV) in Australia has created an uncertain future for the nation's 20 million petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, but some motoring enthusiasts have electrified their classic cars. 

Key points:

• A cottage industry for mechanics has developed around converting petrol and diesel-powered cars to electric vehicles
• EV conversions have grown in popularity with motoring enthusiasts
• Industry insiders suggest millions of larger cars and fleet vehicles could be converted

Sleek Porsche 911 sports cars, racy Minis, and even hardcore four-wheel-drives are among the machines that can be converted to run on electric power using Australia's steadily improving EV infrastructure.

Ballarat resident Steve Carter owns a 1948 Singer ute, which was originally converted from a roadster.

A heart transplant — from internal combustion engine to electric motor — means it has since been converted into something else entirely.

"Converting classic cars is a pursuit many people and many companies are doing now," Mr Carter said.

"I think it's a great way of preserving heritage.

"The cars themselves will never last forever, of course, and the cost of rebuilding engines and gearboxes in these old, petrol-driven cars is beginning to become prohibitive and more difficult.

"By converting it to electric, everything becomes very basic. You replace the batteries if they break down.

"And motors themselves are very, very efficient and reliable these days."

The Singer's beating heart was originally a 1074cc powerplant running on standard petrol and producing a comparatively modest 26kW.

It has since been replaced by a 48-volt electric motor that produces 13kW, with a second battery pack in the back of the ute effectively boosting the combined output to 26kW.

"[The conversion] takes a little bit. You have to go through the all the calculations with the weight of the vehicle and the rolling resistance," Mr Carter said.

"We have a very narrow tyres on the Singer so that gives us an advantage, and there's plenty of space for battery storage.

"We kept the manual gearbox because it simplifies things and cuts the cost of conversion.

"But you could have just a pure electric motor-driven vehicle, which would be just like an automatic car. You would just jump in, turn it on and drive.

Mr Carter said it was important to ensure the vehicles were still enjoyable to drive and own after being converted to electric.  

"And certainly, the Singer takes the cake. It's a lovely-looking vehicle which draws a lot of attention and she's just pleasant to drive — It's old world."

Cottage industry of EV converters

While car enthusiasts with the right skills convert their own classic cars, there are companies that will do it for those who don't have the knowledge or patience.

Jaunt Motors in Australia has kits to convert Porsche sports cars and classic Minis into electric vehicles.

However, it is rugged Land Rover off-roaders that are a main EV focus for the company.

Jaunt chief executive officer Dave Budge said improvements in electric vehicle infrastructure and an acceptance EVs are practical alternatives to internal combustion engine cars had opened the door for a variety of conversions.

And the most practical conversions just happen to be among the most popular cars on Australian roads.

"We started a few years ago knowing that electric vehicles had started becoming a thing in Australia and Tesla had made them cool," Mr Budge said.

"The big thing was people started seeing the charging infrastructure going in and seeing other people's cars charging at them.

"We've seen brand new brand new EVs going from 0.1 per cent of new car sales up to 6 per cent.

"We work with older Porsche 911s and classic Minis, but also a lot of four-wheel-drives.

"The thing about four-wheel-drives, even ones that are still in production today is they're amazingly simple."

While Australia's uptake of new electric cars lags behind other parts of the world, Mr Budge said Australia was in a uniquely strong position to convert older cars to the new technology.

Turning a relatively recent hatchback, sedan or SUV model that runs on petrol or diesel is not especially practical.

It is simpler and cheaper to buy a modern, electric version of those cars.

The sums improve significantly, though, for the "old-school" four-wheel-drives parked in many Australian driveways.

"There is a real challenge when you have a new hatchback, sedan or a modern SUV, in that they have been designed with precision to fit everything as perfectly as they can in a small package," Mr Budge said.

"There's a lot of curves, there's a ridiculous amount of wiring, multiple computer systems and they weren't designed with room for large batteries.

"When dealing with, say, a 2015 Land Rover or a classic 79 Series [Toyota] Land Cruiser, it's quite straightforward because they're quite boxy.

"They're also simple. Not a lot has changed [design-wise] since those 1940s, 50s or 60s cars.

"Many of our top-selling vehicles are dual-cab utes, whether it's a [Toyota] HiLux, or a [Ford] Ranger, which are actually quite basic, old-fashioned designs.

"We have a real opportunity. We have the worst carbon emissions per capita in the world is because of what we're driving around.

"But those are also the easiest and most feasible cars to convert."

The cost of new electric vehicles continues to become more affordable for many new car buyers. Chinese brand MG and South Korea's Hyundai offer EVs priced under $50,000.

But the cost of electric conversion is also coming down and, with no hard-core four-wheel-drives with electric power in new car showrooms, plus Australia's ongoing love affair with old cars, Mr Budge said he is confident many of those cars currently powered by fossil fuels need not become fossils themselves.

"There's a million reasons people buy second hand cars," he said.

"Is [the number of old cars likely to be converted to electric power] anywhere close to 20 million?

"Not at all, I don't think that's going to be the case. But, in an Australian context, we actually have this opportunity to convert a large number of vehicles."

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Jaunt Motors: The company making exploration sustainable

Dave budge, founder of australian ev conversion firm jaunt motors, shares the story behind these fully-electric land rovers.

“I was driving a Land Rover Defender and I just wished it was electric.” That’s how the journey of Jaunt Motors began just three years ago, explains Dave Budge, the co-founder of Victoria-based EV conversion firm Jaunt Motors.

“I wanted to hear the sounds of the bush and I wanted all the benefits of an electric vehicle. I also started to feel more and more guilty as we were going on longer trips. In Australia, the distances are huge, and that can be amazing, but you also realise that to go on holiday to ‘this place’, you’ve driven 2000 kilometres to get there and burnt hundreds of litres of diesel to get to the pristine, natural, crisp air. But what’s the trial I’ve left behind? Carbon and pollution.”

With a particular focus on Land Rovers, the vehicle that was the original inspiration for the company, Jaunt up-cycles the iconic 4WD’s to make them suitable for sustainable exploration. As Dave explained, however, road-trips in Australia can stretch for thousands and thousands of kilometers, which presents immediate questions of range.

Dave said: “In the Series vehicles, so pre-1985, we do a very small, 28kWh battery pack, but everyone upgrades to the 53kWh battery pack and that will get maybe 150 kilometres of range on a highway, but that’s purely to do with the aerodynamics of the old Land Rover.

“If you’re doing under 80kph, you might get 250 kilometres of range and that’s realistically what most people are doing; they’re driving around town, they’re driving down little country roads so they will be getting somewhere around 200 kilometres on average. For the Defenders, we put much more powerful motors in and usually bigger battery packs, too, between 75kWh to 100kWh, which will offer between 450-500 kilometres of range.”

Tackling the issue of range was not his biggest challenge, however. Australia has one of the lowest adoption rates of EVs in the world, and one of the highest transport emissions per capita, so encouraging people to switch their much loved diesel Land Rover’s to electric was never going to be easy.

“There’s a big car culture here,” Dave explained. “We have one of the oldest national fleets in the world and people hang onto cars for a very long time. We’ve got this particular association with cars that people want to hang onto them and keep using them, and when you combine that with a terrible adoption of EVs to the Tesla Model 3 being the most sold car in the country, suddenly people have had a ride in someone’s Tesla and they get it.

“We’re now seeing people understand that they’re considering an EV, they know their 4X4 is going to have to be electric and that they might not be ready for an EV now, but they know it’s going to be their next car.”

So, what is next for Jaunt ? For a company that has, for now, specifically focused on restoring and converting classic Land Rover’s over to electric, Dave says there are plans in place to branch out to different makes and models.

He said: “It’s not just Land Rovers. We get asked to do some quirky stuff and I’d love to, but it’s about finding the right car. It’s about having enough parts that are available, and they also have to reach the same level of nostalgia and culture. We’ll continue to do these cars that were iconic and we’ll add these as we go.”

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GoAuto: Mini and Jaunt create EV converted classic

MINI Australia has partnered with Fellten Australia to covert a classic 1995 Mini Rover to electric power.

The roadworthy, fully electric Mini is said to retain the charm of the classic model while delivering a delightful driving experience with “instantaneous acceleration”.

The converted Mini features a liquid-cooled 19kWh battery pack and 72kW/175Nm Zonic-sourced EV motor offering up to 175km (WLTP) of driving range and a zippy 8.0 second 0-100km/h time (in Sport mode).

In converting the bright red petrol-powered Mini Rover to electric power, Fellten swapped out the original models front subframe for a new BMH setup it says will maintain the original model’s weight distribution and driving characteristics.

Kerb weight remains unchanged and all modifications and bolts on meaning the conversion can be reversed should a customer choose.

Additionally, the setup gifts the Mini with technologies including regenerative braking, a Type 2 charging port and two driving modes – City and Sport.

Other features include a Speed Hut three-gauge instrument cluster, Billet Aluminium drive selector and PTC cabin heater.

“Never has the topic of electromobility been so relevant, particularly in Australia where EV adoption rates are still in its infancy and there is an opportunity to shape the mindset toward considering sustainable transport,” said Fellten Australia chief product officer, Dave Budge.

“We are excited to be working with MINI Australia on converting this classic collectible which takes something we all know and love and transforming it into a catalyst for conversations surrounding sustainable mobility solutions.”

Completed this month, the 1995 Mini Rover conversion draws inspiration from the Mini Recharged Program which began with a one-off classic Mini Electric for the New York Auto Show in 2018.

Mini said overwhelmingly positive reactions to that project led to the creation of a dedicated team at Plant Oxford (UK) to develop a plan for creating a service offering for customers who own a classic Mini.

“Our iconic heritage is intrinsic to the character of the MINI brand, and this will continue to inspire and influence our direction even as we transition to offer a fully electric line-up by the beginning of 2030,” said Mini Australia general manager, Matt Schmidt.

“We are proud to work with Fellten on a project that seamlessly preserves the beloved elements of our past while pointing towards our exciting, all-electric future.”

Australian classic Mini owners who are interested in converting their car to electric power can contact Jaunt Motors to find out more about the EV conversion process and price.

ORIGINAL STORY https://www.goauto.com.au/news/mini/electric/mini-and-fellten-create-ev-converted-classic/2023-08-24/91801.html

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Fellten Launched: Melbourne Electric Vehicle Converter Jaunt Motors Merges With UK

Energy Matters

• November 3, 2022

With the cooperation of a UK-based conversion specialist, Zero EV and Jaunt Motors, an Australian firm specialising in converting classic petrol and diesel vehicles like Land Rovers into electric engines , will soon have the largest electric conversion company in the world.

The merger of Zero EV, located in Bristol, UK, and Jaunt Motors, based in Melbourne , Australia, two of the world’s top technological companies, will collaborate and create to establish Fellten (which means ‘lightning’ in Welsh ) in Australia, the United Kingdom, and North America.

Fellten will formally debut at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada . Fellten is also looking to expand system production and training in the UK and Australia, with specifics to be revealed in the upcoming months.

According to Zero EV Co-founder and CEO, and now CEO of Fellten, Chris Hazell, “We are delighted to launch Fellten – it’s the culmination of years of work from two teams working on other sides of the world, coming together with the shared ambition in shaping the future of electric vehicles.”

“The merging of our two companies into the singular Fellten will provide classic vehicle customers with any level of electrification support and provide automotive experts, mechanics and electric vehicle converters with the technology, tools and training to be a part of the growing global demand for electrification.”

Fellten creates bolt-in solutions that transform vintage vehicles into electric vehicles (EVs). The merger provides the new business with a global supply network that enables car repair shops and vehicle restorers in three continents to install electric conversion systems created and developed by the top-notch team at Fellten. Check out our page about EV rebates and incentives, road user charges, existing federal government EV policies, and Labor’s proposed Electric Car Discount.

Fellten’s electric systems enable cars of any vintage to be “everyday drivers” and not simply enthusiast cars.  With original equipment manufacturer (OEM) levels of performance and reliability, Fellten-powered automobiles are retrofitted to increase sustainability, usability, and performance – all without affecting the car’s iconic design.

Jaunt has focused on converting Land Rovers into electric vehicles utilising Tesla battery packs, which generally cost $125,000. (UDD 80,000).

In Australia, Jaunt has primarily concentrated on Land Rovers, completing three conversions and working on another five. The company is soon to start providing Toyota Landcruiser conversion options as well. Zero EV concentrated on Porsches and Minis, but the two businesses intend to broaden their selection to include additional models.

Jaunt Motors Co-founder and CEO, and now Chief Design Officer of Fellten, Dave Budge, said: “Every vehicle on the road will need to be electric by 2050 for us to achieve net zero emissions, and classic car owners will want their vehicle to be electric much sooner. With production facilities on three continents and industry-leading technology and development capabilities, Fellten is ready to meet the needs of consumers and the automotive industry.

“We’re scaling up to deliver hundreds of units next year and beyond. And the biggest thing is awareness. Most people don’t know that this is even possible.”

“With the support of the global Fellten engineering team, proprietary EV technology and strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers, Fellten provides specialist and luxury vehicle customers with complete electrification support, from design to technology development to delivery.

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Overview of merger

The Jaunt Motors and Zero EV teams employed by Fellten make up the global team of automotive and electrical engineers, software developers, designers, and trainers. The new structure has created the following members of the worldwide leadership team:

• Chris Hazell – CEO, Chief Executive Officer.
• Alex Dawood – CTO, Chief Technology Officer.
• Marteen Burger – COO, Chief Operating Officer.
• Dave Budge – CDO, Chief Design Officer.
• Mark Poole – CFO, Chief Financial Officer.

About Fellten

Fellten is a manufacturer of electric conversion systems that offers solutions to car owners and auto shops so they may transform conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles into electric vehicles. Starting with Porsche 911s, Classic Minis, Land Rover Series, and Defenders, Fellten has created solutions for many vintage brands and models.

About Jaunt Motors

Vehicles made by Jaunt are based on vintage Land Rovers from 1958 to 2016. The cars that transported aid to isolated areas, battled bushfires, worked on practically every farm and helped build Australia’s infrastructure.

About Zero EV

Zero EV supplies premium electric car parts and are experts in producing Zero EV OEM parts for electric vehicle conversions. Zero EV’s key priorities are business-to-business transactions, supply chain assistance, the engineering development of electric vehicle systems, the manufacturing of complete bolt-in kits, and training. But also provide support and sales to end users.

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2024 Fiat 500e Might Be All the EV You Need

In its role as an urban commuter or as a complement to a larger SUV, the 500e hits its mark with solid dynamics and a panoply of standard equipment.

Staggeringly Normal Specs

Most modern EVs make enough horsepower to put generation-old sports cars to shame, and that's not exactly what everyone wants or needs. The 2024 500e is more of an anachronism in this sense, returning to the days of small, inexpensive cars that provide tepid acceleration. Here, a single permanent-magnet electric motor powers the front axle and produces just 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Fiat claims the 500e will meander its way to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds before topping out at 94 mph. And while that pales next to the dual-motor Hyundai Ioniq 5, which gets to 60 in 4.5 seconds , it is quicker than a Chevy Trax or a Kia Sportage .

Under the body lies a similarly modest lithium-ion battery, which we estimate has roughly 37 kWh of usable capacity and will be good for 140 to 150 miles of range. Our projection would've been lower, but the 500e's compact dimensions mean Fiat was able to keep the curb weight at a respectable claimed 2952 pounds, a far cry from those 5000-plus-pound Chunka Lunkas rolling around. The battery will charge from empty to 100 percent in a claimed six hours on a 6.6-kW Level 2 charger or in less than 4.5 hours on an 11.0-kW connection, and at its max DC fast-charge rate of 85 kW, it will refill to 80 percent in 35 minutes, Fiat says.

Aesthetically, this little one is clearly a Fiat 500. The exterior picks up some LED lighting front and rear, as well as flush electronic door handles. But the flashiest of the new stuff as well as the throwbacks lie in the cabin. The dashboard trim, rounded gauge cluster, and two-spoke steering wheel are meant to evoke the OG 1957 Cinquecento . We dig the dedicated wireless-charging nook just below the (physical!) climate controls and 10.3-inch center display, which runs the latest version of Stellantis's Uconnect 5 software. A 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster is a nice thing to see, especially as fellow small-car manufacturer Mini seems intent on eliminating that feature in favor of a cheapo head-up display.

While the eyes may deceive, the 500e is a bit larger than it was before, ringing in nearly an inch longer in both wheelbase and overall length and also 2.2 inches wider. An additional 1.7 inches of shoulder room in the front row keeps the Fiat from feeling truly cramped, and the cargo hold will swallow eight cubic feet of stuff, or a few backpacks or several bags of groceries, with ease. The back seat will fit an adult, though not for long journeys—but then, you're not going on a long journey, are you? Behind a seat set for a six-foot-tall driver, there was decent headroom, but the legroom was more reminiscent of a budget European airline than a car.

Despite the small accommodations, the center console has a decently sized hidey-hole that could hold a small tablet. Two USB-A ports and another USB-C reside in various crannies. There's only one cupholder that isn't integrated into a door panel, but it can be folded and stowed when not needed, opening space in the cabin's lower half.

In addition to the tech, there's a bunch of other standard kit in this package. LED headlights, automatic climate control, keyless entry and start, wireless device charging and smartphone mirroring, and rain-sensing wipers all are included. Also standard is the buyer's choice of a Level 2 home charger or fast-charge credits through the company's Free2move Charge program.

Staggeringly Normal Demeanor

While the Fiat 500e's vibe might fit our Miami drive location well, this locale is not exactly suited for, well, driving. Endless parades of stoplights, confused drivers piloting rented convertibles (with the top still up, natch), strips of asphalt where lunar-rover testing clearly takes place (or should)—Vice City has it all. The 500e's ride was, as we expected, a little on the flinty side, but we found very little unwanted interior noise until higher speeds. Chucking this little guy into corners at normal speeds made for a fun urban jaunt, with an appropriate amount of body roll for a small but kind of tall car.

It's fortunate that the 500e feels zippy at a relatively modest pace, because that's all the pace the Italian jelly bean can muster. There's a good bit of right-pedal sensitivity at lower speeds in both the standard Normal mode and the more efficient Range mode, and the zero- to 30-mph span is what matters most in a car of this ilk. Switch into Range mode, and the pedal does require a smidge more prodding to get going, but the increased regenerative braking permits one-pedal driving, so it's the mode we preferred. If you're not a fan of regen, Normal mode's coasting and braking feel like any other small car's. There's also a Sherpa mode that limits the top speed to 50 mph and cuts max motor output to 76 horsepower. It was explained as an "Oh crap, I have less battery than I thought and need to get home" mode, not one for normal use.

Dollars and Sense

Achieving a $34,095 base price is not the easiest thing to do, especially at a time when the average transaction price for a new car is approaching the $50,000 mark, and that becomes clear in places like the torsion-beam rear axle and rear drum brakes. Unlike with Fiat's last foray into battery-electric models, parent company Stellantis probably won't lose the farm on every car it sells this time, despite that the new 500e's MSRP is lower than its 2019 forebear's, even with years having passed between their debuts.

While it won't solve the problem of charging access for those who park on the street, the 2024 Fiat 500e does help address one issue the EV space needs to work on: affordable variety. It's a true city car, with the thrift and capability needed for most weekly forays, and it works well as a second around-town-mobile when long trips aren't on the docket. It's a turtle among hares, but if that's all you need, why go overboard?

Specifications

2024 Fiat 500e Vehicle Type: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door hatchback

PRICE Base: Inspi(Red), $34,095; Music, $37,595; Beauty, $37,595

POWERTRAIN Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC Power: 117 hp Torque: 162 lb-ft Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 37.0 kWh ( C/D est) Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 85 kW Transmission: direct-drive

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 91.4 in Length: 143.0 in Width: 66.3 in Height: 60.1 in Passenger Volume, F/R: 48/29 ft 3 Cargo Volume: 8 ft 3 Curb Weight ( C/D est): 2950 lb

PERFORMANCE ( C/D EST) 60 mph: 8.2 sec 1/4-Mile: 16.5 sec Top Speed: 94 mph

EPA FUEL ECONOMY ( C/D EST) Combined: 116–120 MPGe Range: 140–150 mi

Cars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree.

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