Zero Labs Calls for Investing in EV Conversions

A company called Zero Labs is looking for investment dollars, claiming to be the world’s first platform for the scalable electrification of existing vehicles, aka EV conversions.  They write: We’re on a mission to electrify millions of existing combustion engine vehicles with the world’s first truly scalable solution. Zero Labs has already redefined the category delivering World’s finest fully rebuilt and electrified performance classic cars. Now we’re ready to expand this solution too. We have signed reservations and inquiries for more than 75,000+ conversions representing an immediate addressable market of over $3.6B in potential revenue. Become a Zero Labs shareholder and join the ride as we pioneer this $63B market.

There was a day in which this was a compelling idea.  I remember it well, because it coincided with my own first steps into the EV industry in 2008.  Intel’s Andy Grove made a big splash with his statement that EV conversions were a requirement if the world was going to decarbonize its transportation sector, because the OEMs where unable (and/or unwilling) to scale the manufacturing of electric batteries.

I have to say that I was in love with this idea when I first heard about it, even though I was aware of the fact that each automotive product has its own unique challenges associated with conversion: the design and placement of the engine and its manifolds, the transmission and differential, the exhaust system, the fuel tank, the suspension, etc. Some of these issues are minor, though many render the original vehicle a total nonstarter.

In any case, no one has heard a peep on this subject from the automotive industry in the intervening 15 years. Now, any OEM that expects to be building and selling cars a decade or so hence has a robust plan in place to phase out internal combustion engines in favor of EVs, and thus Zero Labs has zero chance of success.