Eectric Dreams
A LET’S START by addressing the elephant in the room – some of you aren’t going to like this car. The idea of removing the XK engine and electrifying an E-type is more controversial than turning Westminster Abbey into an ice rink or Eminem rapping God Save the Queen.
However, with more enthusiasts wanting to enjoy their classic cars yet with minimal cost to the environment, transforming them into electric vehicles (EVs) is becoming increasingly popular. As a result, specialists are now designing conversions for all makes of car including Jaguar’s most famous.
But is an E-type without a combustion engine still an E-type? With the Warwickshire-based Edward Watson & Co Classic Motor Engineers recently modifying a Series 1, there’s only one way to find out.
When Paul Watson reverses the metallic blue open-two-seater out of the workshop, it appears to be nothing more than a beautifully restored example of an early E-type. Even the interior looks like it just left Browns Lane. But that’s what the owner requested; for the change from petrol to electric to be barely noticeable.
