Actor Jason Momoa, a car lover and the villain in the most recent "Fast and Furious" movie, recently had his 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom converted to run on batteries.
He didn't do the modification work himself, though. Instead he turned to the U.K.'s Electrogenic, which developed a custom solution for his Phantom.
The company, based on Oxford, also offers so-called EV conversion drop-in kits that can be had for early Land Rovers, including the original Defender, plus the Jaguar E-Type, original Mini, and the 964-generation Porsche 911.
The Phantom's original engine, a 7.7-liter inline-6 developing 40-50 hp, and the original 4-speed manual transmission were replaced with an electric motor with a custom single-speed direct-drive transmission. The electric motor generates 201 hp and draws its energy from a 93-kwh battery positioned within the existing structure of the car.
The range is around 150 miles, according to Electrogenic.
The work done on the Rolls-Royce was documented by Momoa for his series “On The Roam,” which is available on HBO Max and Discovery+. According to Electrogenic, this was its most complex build yet.
Part of the reason was a desire to preserve other elements of the car that were linked to its original inline engine, like a lubrication system designed to send oil to the bushings for brake and suspension linkages, as well as other mechanical control systems.
The brakes were also a challenge. One issue was the original brake servo sat in the housing of the original transmission that was removed as part of the conversion. The company also had to calibrate the brakes to work with a new energy recovery system.
Jason Momoa with 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom EV conversion by Electrogenic
Jason Momoa with 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom EV conversion by Electrogenic
Jason Momoa with 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom EV conversion by Electrogenic
Like all of Electrogenic's conversions, the company also wanted the modifications to be reversible.
Electrogenic found solutions to these challenges while still keeping as many of the original parts as possible, including the original brake cable actuators—something that was important to Momoa.
“I needed a team that would appreciate the storied history of this car while updating its technology,” he said in a statement.
This is not Electrogenic's first Rolls-Royce conversion. The company has also converted a Silver Shadow. Electrogenic didn't say how much a similar conversion would cost, but the price likely varies depending on the condition of the car and the upgrades specified.
