70% of classic car enthusiasts think EV conversions should be new class

With electric powertrain conversions for classic cars rising in popularity, a recent poll states revealed that 70% of classic car enthusiasts want the Government to create a new vehicle class solely for EV conversions, as enthusiasts suggest the DVLA is not keeping up with demand or proper documentation.

Only modern EVs are classed as an EV on their official registration documentation (V5C), and the classic car community, through a poll by specialist insurance company, Footman James, voted that this naming and documentation should change.

Instead of classic cars continuing to have their internal combustion engine and designation, 70% of (more than two out of three) respondents said that the DVLA should class them as a new class of vehicle.

Managing Director of Footman James, David Bond, said: “EV conversions are dividing the classic and collector industry and our clients. With modern EVs counting for 64,000 in registrations this year alone, electric power is a small but growing sector.

“This is spilling out to classic owners who are also choosing to swap from petrol power to battery power. Classic cars by their nature are increasingly restored, modified and upgraded but interestingly, from the majority of our responders, converting from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to electric requires more official recognition.

“From the results of this poll, it looks our audience want there to be a change and move to recognise EV-converted classic cars by the DVLA on the V5, and look at the green marking on the registration plates to show that they are powered by electricity.”

The official question asked was: ‘As it stands, modern electric vehicles have their own DVLA classification and classic vehicles are given the historical class when they hit 40 years of age. But what should happen to electric classic conversions? Should they be recognised independently on a V5C, as a new class of vehicle?’

1,355 people voted via an email poll. Of those, 942 people selected YES (69.52%) and 413 people selected NO (30.48%).

Image: Footman James