What is electric vehicle (EV) retrofitting and why does it matter? 

‘EV retrofitting’ refers to the process of converting a gas-powered vehicle into an electric vehicle by replacing its gas engine with a battery pack.  The battery pack is designed to fit within the vehicle’s chassis—the structural frame to which its wheels, suspension, engine, and other components are attached.  Typically, the battery pack fits in the space previously occupied by the gas engine and fuel tank; the available space generally varies by vehicle make and model.  The battery’s size and weight depend on the vehicle being retrofitted, as well as the desired range and performance.  

Despite these constraints, mass-producing battery packs for retrofitting a specific type of vehicle chassis with an electric powertrain is possible.  Using a standard-sized battery allows for high-volume retrofits of vehicles with a compatible chassis, which can lower costs and reduce the time required for the retrofit process. 

Policies promoting the adoption of new EVs, such as California’s Advanced Clean Cars II, can help increase the number of new EVs on the road. However, they do not address the existing vehicle fleet of gas-powered vehicles that continue to emit greenhouse gases and air pollutants. On average, these vehicles stay on the road for about 12 years in the US, and may be used even longer in low and middle income countries. Gas powered vehicles’ slow replacement rate delays the increase in the percentage of EVs on the road. Retrofitting’s supporters say a comprehensive approach to electrifying transportation that includes strategies for retrofitting existing gas-powered vehicles can help address the lag, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the upfront cost of new EVs present a larger barrier to adoption.

What does Shift EV do, and who is Aly El Tayeb? 

Shift EV is an Egypt-based company that specializes in retrofitting commercial fleets with electric powertrains.  It focuses on vehicles that travel relatively short and predictable routes and return to a home base at night for charging.  To make electric transportation more accessible and feasible in middle-income and emerging economies, such as Egypt, the company has adopted a strategy of retrofitting the most popular vehicle models already on the road. 

Dr. El Tayeb, the co-founder and CEO of Shift EV, is a chemical engineer with previous experience at a battery startup in the United States.  He founded the company in response to the lack of accessible EV options in middle-income and emerging economies, such as Egypt. 

Sources

• Kelly & Gonzales, "What Fleets Need to Know About Alternative Fuel Vehicle Conversions, Retrofits, and Repowers," US Department of Energy 2017.
• https://www.oecd-forum.org/posts/retrofitting-a-frugal-circular-and-inclusive-solution-to-decarbonize-our-vehicle-fleet
• Winton, Electric Cars Are Too Expensive For Many, But Retrofitting Could Be The Answer (Forbes 2022).

For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/electric-vehicle-retrofitting-with-dr-aly-el-tayeb/