London mechanic turns classic cars into electric vehicles

While some drivers are ready to go electric, they still want to hold onto their classic cars.

Matthew Quitter is working to change that. He turns classic cars into electric rides in his London-based garage, with customers from all over the world, he says.

Converting consumers from gasoline helps the environment, especially as more than a million cars in the UK end up in the junk heap each year.

“Scrapping cars is not a good thing, you know, it’s pretty well known now that half of the CO2 production over the life of a car is during manufacturing,” Quitter told CBS News’ Ian Lee.

He converted his 1953 Morris Minor into an electric version. “You get a little more aware of how stinky other cars are,” Quitter said.

But there are “quite a few” cars that Quitter believes are prohibited and should not be changed or transformed.

“We had a customer ask about the conversion of an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato, which is crazy. Just crazy,” he said.

Guy Willner had no trouble swapping engines in his 1969 Land Rover Series 2A.

“The Land Rover engine is nothing really exciting to me. What’s exciting is the gearbox, the four-wheel drive,” Willner said.

The electric touch did not disappoint.

“It’s brilliant fun, it’s brilliant fun. It’s absolutely hilarious. I mean, it’s a fun car,” Willner added.

the price of converting a classic car to an electric vehicle could cost you $ 30,000. But for Quitter, it’s not just about money.

“Once they get in the car and it turns, you get a big easy smile and that’s it, they’ll never come back,” he said.