6 ms·

I was excited about this idea until I found out it's $27k

OliverGuy 4mo ago
I get this is a pretty nice product that they won't sell in huge volume, but that is really steep, was expecting something <20k
- fgfarben 4mo ago
  It includes a 66 kWh battery. This might be a strategy for offloading all the Bolt EV batteries they had to refurbish.
  - leeter 4mo ago
    Maybe? It's a 400V architecture, and honestly that's my criticism... 400V seems low at this point. Particularly for something requiring an "Authorized Installer" I'd have expected 800V architecture, if not pushing higher. Minimum 600V though... so IMO huge miss on GMs part. I do think GM does have an opportunity if they really wanted to do what you're suggesting and just make drop on chassis for square bodies etc.
    - formerly_proven 4mo ago
      I'll bite. What's the point of 800V with a battery this small? 400V already enables around 200 kW of charging, which is 3C with a pack this small. So charging is not limited by the voltage level, because the pack assuredly isn't reaching 3C. At 200hp the efficiency gains are marginal if they exist at all. So what would the benefit of 800V be, apart from higher costs?
    - SoftTalker 4mo ago
      400V DC on a 66KWh battery will fry you in an instant if you don't know what you are doing or get careless with your tools.
    - fgfarben 4mo ago
      Let's be realistic. GM is not interested in burning R&D money to make a good 800V electric crate kit. They only want to burn R&D money to make new profitable trucks. They are doing this because they have a billion dollars of refurbished batteries sitting in warehouses that they need to dump.
  - nozzlegear 4mo ago
    As a Bolt EUV owner, I'd like to just offload my Bolt. (Not because it's a bad car in itself, but all of the electronics shit is falling apart.)
    - SoftTalker 4mo ago
      How old is your Bolt. I've been toying with the idea of getting a used one. What has failed with the electronics?
      - nozzlegear 4mo ago
        It's a 2023 Bolt EUV, I bought it new at the end of 2022. My issues with it only started last year; it was a great car up until then, easily my favorite vehicle out of all the ones I've owned. The issues with my car are the rear cameras, which have stopped working, and the touch screen, which no longer responds to touch. The repair techs couldn't find anything wrong with the cameras, and their diagnostic tool reported that they were apparently functioning. They ended up replacing the cameras and the cabling, but it didn't help at all; the new cameras just stopped working again within a couple of weeks. When I took it back in, they told me straight up that they didn't know what to do about it if replacing the cameras and cables didn't work, so there was nothing left to do. The touch screen broke around the same time[†] as the cameras, and this is worse than not having cameras IMO. The Bolt is nice because it has a good amount of physical buttons to control things, but there are still some critical functions tied to the touch screen that you just can't do if it's not responding to touch. Examples: I can't look at the front or side cameras; I can't adjust the defrost at all in the winter (it's tied to the touchscreen unlike the rest of the climate controls); I can't select a destination or add stops in Maps without opening my phone; and I can't install or decline software updates for the vehicle, which nag with a very loud chime every time the car is parked. The dealership offered to replace the touch screen, but only as a replacement for the entire head unit which was going to be $2500 or more. I couldn't justify the cost on a car that's only worth $15k now, especially after they couldn't fix the cameras. [†] Makes me think the two things are related, but there's no practical way to debug it on my own.
        4mo ago
  - pavon 4mo ago
    Looks like it, or just clearing inventory. All the specs are identical to the 2020 Bolt EV batteries: energy, weight, dimensions.
trhway 4mo ago
yesterday post here about Tesla-fied Mustang - $40K of parts https://electrek.co/2026/05/02/tesla-1966-mustang-ev-conversion-full-self-driving/ https://electrek.co/2026/05/02/tesla-1966-mustang-ev-convers... Buying motors and batteries from Aliexpress you can probably get under $15K-$10K even ( and that is probably BOM of Chinese car manufacturers for such the engine and batteries), yet having it as a US factory package $27K doesn't look that bad for me.
cbdevidal 4mo ago
I’ll be honest 200hp doesn’t exactly blow up my skirt
- speed_spread 4mo ago
  But the extra torque might sizzle your drizzle
  - someguyiguess 4mo ago
    266 lb/ft? Nah. Maybe for a go kart.
    - tclancy 4mo ago
      Electric motors don’t have torque curves. It’s all available right away. As a kid I remember reading in Wired about an electric car scene in California where they had to learn things the hard way and one guy’s maiden voyage ended still in his driveway with the backend split in two.
      - cucumber3732842 4mo ago
        This is essentially the "area under the curve" argument. But it's been polluted to absurdum by Internet fanboys with an agenda so now everyone thinks EVs are some magical thing that don't abide by the laws of physics. No amount of fanboy screeching is going to change the fact that it's only 200hp. Compared to a bone stock 70s/80s car that made 200-250hp from the factory this will 200hp EV will be a riot. But at $20k that's not what it's being compared against. The 500+HP LS crate motor and transmission combo (i.e. what this is being cross shopped against) are going to make more than that from ~2500rpm on up. If you graph power available at a given output RPM with an electric motor you get a line. With an ICE you get an upward and then tapering off curve. When you add transmission gears to the ICE it's a series of essentially overlapping saw teeth except on the first gear where it goes all the way down to whatever power you make at 1500-2000rpm (so like a little under 100hp for a ~500hp engine, probably like 30hp for an ICE that makes ~200hp stock). Basically even with a flat curve there comes a point where the taller curve is so much taller it still wins. When comparing to cars of about the same horsepower the EVis gonna win every time, because flat curve. Even if comparing to a more powerful ICE car where the areas are approx. equal you don't have to pull back to shift (even CVTs "shift", it's for longevity reasons) and the ICE is probably not geared deep enough for best initial acceleration (though for "modern" power levels both cars have more than enough to roast the tires) the EV is still probably better. And as an side I think it's dumb that they make you replace the transmission. There are tons and tons and tons of cars out there that either still have the original transmission or someone swapped an SBC into them in 19-whatever. Being able to just replace the engine would make the swap a ton more accessible because you don't have to also add transmission mounting, controls, driveshaft, etc. to the list. Most older transmissions can handle "muh EV torque" just fine. It's the shifting under torque they don't like. Basically this is cool but I think it's too expensive for the specs it has. Edit: Not calling you a stupid fanboy, just saying you've been mislead by them.
tclancy 4mo ago
I didn’t have any context, so I went shopping and it looks like you’re right https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/category/ENG.html https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/category/ENG.html Which is a bit wild to me because I looked into adding a supercharger to my 2010 Camaro last month and it was 7-9k DIY.
SecretDreams 4mo ago
This package is for people who already have money to burn. It's intended for classic car restorations, which is also a money burn hobby. A full classic car restoration can exceed 100k if you're having it done professionally.
deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]
zackmorris 4mo ago
Thanks, I couldn't find the price. I've been looking for 200+ hp engine swaps for my 100 hp, 125 lb-ft of torque lifted 1986 Toyota pickup with 31" tires (like the one on Back to the Future but 1 year newer and not extended cab). For comparison, my 2013 Nissan Leaf has 107 hp, about 200 lb-ft of torque, weighs the same 3300 lbs, and does 0-60 mph in about 7-10 seconds depending on the weather. So even accounting for the 300-500 lb weight of the 22r engine and accessories vs 1000+ lbs of electric motor and batteries, doubling the hp would be ludicrous speed (0-60 mph under 6 seconds), by all but 2010s era EV times. I just looked up the price of Nissan Leaf battery swaps: 24 kWh (refurbished): 84 miles of range, $3,500-$5,000 40 kWh (upgrade): 125 miles of range, $6,500-$8,000 62 kWh (advanced upgrade, requires reshaping): 195 miles of range, $12,000-$14,500 Labor: Approximately 5-7 hours of labor at $100-$150/hour, adding $500-$1,500 to the total. Found this page of 200 hp motors: https://electricmotors.com/200-horsepower-electric-motors.html https://electricmotors.com/200-horsepower-electric-motors.ht... ($23,579.99 + $19,657.99 + $20,611.99 + $22,267.99 + $27,199.99 + $27,199.99 + $13,383.99 + $13,029.99 + $15,159.99 + $10,989.99 + $10,819.99 + $13,469.99 + $13,469.99 + $13,851.99 + $13,851.99 + $14,259.99) / 16 = $17,050 (200 hp average price) $14,500 + $1500 + $17,050 = $33,050 (200 hp full swap price not counting charger/inverter etc) So while $27k is a lot, it's probably close to the going rate. Also I feel that these numbers are inflated, due to the US's current 100% import tariff on Chinese EVs: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/joe-biden-china-tariff-hikes-ev-battery-semiconductor-final/727014/ https://www.utilitydive.com/news/joe-biden-china-tariff-hike... I'm part of the "radical center" politically (the opposite of centrist/moderate, popularized by Thom Hartmann and others), so this disappoints both sides of my sensibilities. An electric motor is far easier to build than a gas engine, so should cost less than a crate engine (which are typically $2,000-7,000). Of course that's limited by copper and aluminum prices (not to mention lithium for batteries). Edit: wouldn't want to forget rare earths like neodymium either! I believe that the decades-long delay in EV manufacturing (see Who Killed the Electric Car) was a supply chain problem, not a tech problem, since we've known how to do this since the 1980s and arguably for more like a century since the first cars were EV/biofuel powered and we've had nickel-iron and sodium-sulfur batteries forever that could have done the job, but I digress. If/when the economy crashes in 2027/2028, and after voters demand better, I'd expect a cottage industry to open up again that builds EV parts for 1/2 price or less.
mmmlinux 4mo ago
and you cant even buy one your self.

I get this is a pretty nice product that they won't sell in huge volume, but that is really steep, was expecting something <20k

fgfarben 4mo ago
It includes a 66 kWh battery. This might be a strategy for offloading all the Bolt EV batteries they had to refurbish.
- leeter 4mo ago
  Maybe? It's a 400V architecture, and honestly that's my criticism... 400V seems low at this point. Particularly for something requiring an "Authorized Installer" I'd have expected 800V architecture, if not pushing higher. Minimum 600V though... so IMO huge miss on GMs part. I do think GM does have an opportunity if they really wanted to do what you're suggesting and just make drop on chassis for square bodies etc.
  - formerly_proven 4mo ago
    I'll bite. What's the point of 800V with a battery this small? 400V already enables around 200 kW of charging, which is 3C with a pack this small. So charging is not limited by the voltage level, because the pack assuredly isn't reaching 3C. At 200hp the efficiency gains are marginal if they exist at all. So what would the benefit of 800V be, apart from higher costs?
  - SoftTalker 4mo ago
    400V DC on a 66KWh battery will fry you in an instant if you don't know what you are doing or get careless with your tools.
  - fgfarben 4mo ago
    Let's be realistic. GM is not interested in burning R&D money to make a good 800V electric crate kit. They only want to burn R&D money to make new profitable trucks. They are doing this because they have a billion dollars of refurbished batteries sitting in warehouses that they need to dump.
- nozzlegear 4mo ago
  As a Bolt EUV owner, I'd like to just offload my Bolt. (Not because it's a bad car in itself, but all of the electronics shit is falling apart.)
  - SoftTalker 4mo ago
    How old is your Bolt. I've been toying with the idea of getting a used one. What has failed with the electronics?
    - nozzlegear 4mo ago
      It's a 2023 Bolt EUV, I bought it new at the end of 2022. My issues with it only started last year; it was a great car up until then, easily my favorite vehicle out of all the ones I've owned. The issues with my car are the rear cameras, which have stopped working, and the touch screen, which no longer responds to touch. The repair techs couldn't find anything wrong with the cameras, and their diagnostic tool reported that they were apparently functioning. They ended up replacing the cameras and the cabling, but it didn't help at all; the new cameras just stopped working again within a couple of weeks. When I took it back in, they told me straight up that they didn't know what to do about it if replacing the cameras and cables didn't work, so there was nothing left to do. The touch screen broke around the same time[†] as the cameras, and this is worse than not having cameras IMO. The Bolt is nice because it has a good amount of physical buttons to control things, but there are still some critical functions tied to the touch screen that you just can't do if it's not responding to touch. Examples: I can't look at the front or side cameras; I can't adjust the defrost at all in the winter (it's tied to the touchscreen unlike the rest of the climate controls); I can't select a destination or add stops in Maps without opening my phone; and I can't install or decline software updates for the vehicle, which nag with a very loud chime every time the car is parked. The dealership offered to replace the touch screen, but only as a replacement for the entire head unit which was going to be $2500 or more. I couldn't justify the cost on a car that's only worth $15k now, especially after they couldn't fix the cameras. [†] Makes me think the two things are related, but there's no practical way to debug it on my own.
      - 4mo ago
- pavon 4mo ago
  Looks like it, or just clearing inventory. All the specs are identical to the 2020 Bolt EV batteries: energy, weight, dimensions.

trhway 4mo ago

yesterday post here about Tesla-fied Mustang - $40K of parts https://electrek.co/2026/05/02/tesla-1966-mustang-ev-conversion-full-self-driving/ https://electrek.co/2026/05/02/tesla-1966-mustang-ev-convers... Buying motors and batteries from Aliexpress you can probably get under $15K-$10K even ( and that is probably BOM of Chinese car manufacturers for such the engine and batteries), yet having it as a US factory package $27K doesn't look that bad for me.

cbdevidal 4mo ago

I’ll be honest 200hp doesn’t exactly blow up my skirt

speed_spread 4mo ago
But the extra torque might sizzle your drizzle
- someguyiguess 4mo ago
  266 lb/ft? Nah. Maybe for a go kart.
  - tclancy 4mo ago
    Electric motors don’t have torque curves. It’s all available right away. As a kid I remember reading in Wired about an electric car scene in California where they had to learn things the hard way and one guy’s maiden voyage ended still in his driveway with the backend split in two.
    - cucumber3732842 4mo ago
      This is essentially the "area under the curve" argument. But it's been polluted to absurdum by Internet fanboys with an agenda so now everyone thinks EVs are some magical thing that don't abide by the laws of physics. No amount of fanboy screeching is going to change the fact that it's only 200hp. Compared to a bone stock 70s/80s car that made 200-250hp from the factory this will 200hp EV will be a riot. But at $20k that's not what it's being compared against. The 500+HP LS crate motor and transmission combo (i.e. what this is being cross shopped against) are going to make more than that from ~2500rpm on up. If you graph power available at a given output RPM with an electric motor you get a line. With an ICE you get an upward and then tapering off curve. When you add transmission gears to the ICE it's a series of essentially overlapping saw teeth except on the first gear where it goes all the way down to whatever power you make at 1500-2000rpm (so like a little under 100hp for a ~500hp engine, probably like 30hp for an ICE that makes ~200hp stock). Basically even with a flat curve there comes a point where the taller curve is so much taller it still wins. When comparing to cars of about the same horsepower the EVis gonna win every time, because flat curve. Even if comparing to a more powerful ICE car where the areas are approx. equal you don't have to pull back to shift (even CVTs "shift", it's for longevity reasons) and the ICE is probably not geared deep enough for best initial acceleration (though for "modern" power levels both cars have more than enough to roast the tires) the EV is still probably better. And as an side I think it's dumb that they make you replace the transmission. There are tons and tons and tons of cars out there that either still have the original transmission or someone swapped an SBC into them in 19-whatever. Being able to just replace the engine would make the swap a ton more accessible because you don't have to also add transmission mounting, controls, driveshaft, etc. to the list. Most older transmissions can handle "muh EV torque" just fine. It's the shifting under torque they don't like. Basically this is cool but I think it's too expensive for the specs it has. Edit: Not calling you a stupid fanboy, just saying you've been mislead by them.

tclancy 4mo ago

I didn’t have any context, so I went shopping and it looks like you’re right https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/category/ENG.html https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/category/ENG.html Which is a bit wild to me because I looked into adding a supercharger to my 2010 Camaro last month and it was 7-9k DIY.

SecretDreams 4mo ago

This package is for people who already have money to burn. It's intended for classic car restorations, which is also a money burn hobby. A full classic car restoration can exceed 100k if you're having it done professionally.

deleted 4mo ago

[deleted]

zackmorris 4mo ago

Thanks, I couldn't find the price. I've been looking for 200+ hp engine swaps for my 100 hp, 125 lb-ft of torque lifted 1986 Toyota pickup with 31" tires (like the one on Back to the Future but 1 year newer and not extended cab). For comparison, my 2013 Nissan Leaf has 107 hp, about 200 lb-ft of torque, weighs the same 3300 lbs, and does 0-60 mph in about 7-10 seconds depending on the weather. So even accounting for the 300-500 lb weight of the 22r engine and accessories vs 1000+ lbs of electric motor and batteries, doubling the hp would be ludicrous speed (0-60 mph under 6 seconds), by all but 2010s era EV times. I just looked up the price of Nissan Leaf battery swaps: 24 kWh (refurbished): 84 miles of range, $3,500-$5,000 40 kWh (upgrade): 125 miles of range, $6,500-$8,000 62 kWh (advanced upgrade, requires reshaping): 195 miles of range, $12,000-$14,500 Labor: Approximately 5-7 hours of labor at $100-$150/hour, adding $500-$1,500 to the total. Found this page of 200 hp motors: https://electricmotors.com/200-horsepower-electric-motors.html https://electricmotors.com/200-horsepower-electric-motors.ht... ($23,579.99 + $19,657.99 + $20,611.99 + $22,267.99 + $27,199.99 + $27,199.99 + $13,383.99 + $13,029.99 + $15,159.99 + $10,989.99 + $10,819.99 + $13,469.99 + $13,469.99 + $13,851.99 + $13,851.99 + $14,259.99) / 16 = $17,050 (200 hp average price) $14,500 + $1500 + $17,050 = $33,050 (200 hp full swap price not counting charger/inverter etc) So while $27k is a lot, it's probably close to the going rate. Also I feel that these numbers are inflated, due to the US's current 100% import tariff on Chinese EVs: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/joe-biden-china-tariff-hikes-ev-battery-semiconductor-final/727014/ https://www.utilitydive.com/news/joe-biden-china-tariff-hike... I'm part of the "radical center" politically (the opposite of centrist/moderate, popularized by Thom Hartmann and others), so this disappoints both sides of my sensibilities. An electric motor is far easier to build than a gas engine, so should cost less than a crate engine (which are typically $2,000-7,000). Of course that's limited by copper and aluminum prices (not to mention lithium for batteries). Edit: wouldn't want to forget rare earths like neodymium either! I believe that the decades-long delay in EV manufacturing (see Who Killed the Electric Car) was a supply chain problem, not a tech problem, since we've known how to do this since the 1980s and arguably for more like a century since the first cars were EV/biofuel powered and we've had nickel-iron and sodium-sulfur batteries forever that could have done the job, but I digress. If/when the economy crashes in 2027/2028, and after voters demand better, I'd expect a cottage industry to open up again that builds EV parts for 1/2 price or less.

mmmlinux 4mo ago

and you cant even buy one your self.