Is retrofitting the solution of the future for the automobile market? To find out more about this practice, which consists of converting a thermal vehicle into an electric model, Pierre de Vilno invited the boss of the Méhari Club, Stéphane Devineau, to the podcast “Toutroule” on new mobility.
Does the retrofit have an ecological role?
Yes quite. We are doing decarbonization since we are making these zero-emission vehicles all electric. And then also a small role of transmission because we are also addressing the younger generations who are seduced by the timeless line of these cars, but who want simplicity. They want ecology and they are attracted by electric traction.
What gave you the idea to do this?
Listen, the first idea, it comes from the Méhari. It’s a seaside car. It’s a car that’s close to nature and it had everything to be perfectly involved in it, except that it had this engine which was both noisy and polluting. Switching it to electric was really a great idea.
Was the process difficult with the approvals?
Yes, it’s a long and winding road, especially the first time. We don’t always understand, it’s a system that is made for major manufacturers. And it is certain that when you arrive as a small operator, there is this step to take. But today, it’s much better because we have a much better understanding of what to do. And above all, we have had a legal framework since she was born in April 2020.
Today, what is the business model? Unlike the traditional brand-by-brand purchase, you would say that in a retrofit, there is a manufacturer that makes the popular ones, one that makes the old ones, one that makes the utilities etc. ?
Today, we don’t think like that. The analysis we have of the market is really the logic of use. That is to say that we reflect by saying we have a target. For example, for some, tradesmen in Low Emission Zones (ZFE), they have small utilities. So in two or three years, they will have to switch to electric. And often they end up with old vans and they don’t have the money to buy a new electrified van that costs at least €40,000. So there is a real need for a complementary solution that oil can provide. And for these tradesmen, they sometimes have fittings within their vehicle that they don’t want to start from scratch in a new vehicle.
Exactly, let’s talk about money, how much does the retrofitted car cost?
Today, it is according to the energy that we will embark on the vehicle. The cost of the kit is obviously the battery pack that is installed there. The more powerful it is the more expensive it is, this is the reality of electric mobility. Today, conversion costs 14,000 before bonuses. The conversion premium is between €2,500 and €5,000, so under the best of conditions, it’s €9,000. It depends on the income of the person requesting the conversion.
And the customers who regret the disappearance of the engine?
So we actually have traditional customers who regret the disappearance of the engine, they want to keep their vehicle. But there are others who are attracted by the electrical aspect, the comfort it provides, the much simpler maintenance.
What do you say to those who say: “we change the engine, but everything else remains: the clutches, the parts, the front suspensions”?
Today, there is such an attachment to the driving sensation it provides. On the contrary, we do not deteriorate this feeling there. In this case, on the Fiat 500 or the Twingo, we have a virtuous engine, but the rest, it’s still a car that has 200,000 kilometers and is thirteen years old, so it’s difficult. But it is still less expensive than second-hand data. In fact, the challenge is really the support that the public authorities will provide for the retrofit. We are still a young sector. During Covid, we lost 18 to 24 months promoting this solution. Today, we have a government that is very focused on ecological transition, which has understood that car manufacturers would not be the only solution because otherwise we would have decarbonization that will take 30 years, and therefore we need complementary solutions. . Retrofitting is one of them. It is hoped that the government will translate strong support for the sector into action.