German company changes normal cars to EVs in 8 hours
Listen to the story (South African accent)
Many people want to buy electric cars, especially to help the environment. However, the cost of a new EV can be very expensive.
Some companies convert old cars that use combustion engines into electric ones, so they are better for the environment. One startup in Germany, called e-Revolt, has created a new process to do this faster.
Most companies need two weeks to six months to convert a car with a combustion engine into an EV. e-Revolt says it needs just eight hours. The company has a kit that fits 42 different car models, including popular ones from Volkswagen and Audi.
Rolf Behling, a manager at e-Revolt, explained that they take out the old engine and use a frame that fits into the engine area. The company usually completes the conversion in about a day, including removing the old engine, adding the new battery, and making the car digital.
The cost for this conversion is between €12,000 and €15,000 ($13,000 to $16,500).
e-Revolt hopes to work together with car companies in the future to make cars more sustainable. Converting old cars into EVs is better for the environment than throwing them out.
e-Revolt’s process lets them easily switch to better parts, like batteries, when they become available. It’s easy to upgrade the cars. Big car companies usually don’t have that flexibility.
Currently, cars converted by e-Revolt can travel about 250 to 300 km on a single charge. The company is working to improve this range.
Vocabulary23 words
- Electric car
- A car that runs only on electricity ⚡, not gasoline.
- Especially
- to show that something is greater or more important than other things; particularly; notably; specifically; for the most part
- Environment
- the natural world; the place we live; the area around us; nature; Earth
- Electric vehicle (EV)
- A car that runs only on electricity, not gasoline.
- Convert
- To change something into a different form; to take something and make it different
- Combustion engine
- An engine/motor that burns or uses fuel, like gasoline/petrol, to produce power
- Startup
- a new business; a recently started business
- Process
- a procedure; a series of actions that you do to achieve a result/finish something; operation;
- Kit
- A set of parts or tools put together for a specific purpose
- Model
- a particular type of machine, e.g., car, computer, smartphone, etc., that is slightly different from machines of the same type
- Popular
- Liked by many people
- Frame
- A structure that supports or surrounds something; the basic structure of a building, vehicle, or piece of furniture that other parts are added onto
- Digital
- using numbers and codes in a system or computer to make things happen; Using computers or technology to store or process information
- Hope
- something good that you want to happen in the future; a confident feeling about what will happen in the future
- Sustainable
- something that you can continue to use without causing damage to the environment or using up all the resources; eco-friendly; not bad for the Earth;
- Throw out
- To get rid of something; to dispose of something; to put something in the trash
- Switch
- To change from one thing to another
- Part
- one of the pieces that together form a machine or some type of equipment; component; (My bike has a broken part)
- Available
- able to be used: ready for use; accessible
- Flexibility
- The ability to change or adapt easily;
- Charge
- to fill a battery; to give power or energy to a battery
- Charged (charged battery)
- a battery that has power/electricity in it
- Range
- The distance a vehicle can travel on a single amount of fuel or electricity; How far something can go
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Many people _____ to buy electric cars, especially to help the environment. _____, the cost of a new EV can be very expensive.
_____ companies convert old cars that use combustion engines into _____ ones, so they are better for the environment. One _____ in Germany, called e-Revolt, has created a new process to do this _____.
Most companies need two _____ to six months to convert a car with a combustion engine _____ an EV. e-Revolt says it needs just eight _____. The company has a kit that fits 42 different car models, _____ popular ones from Volkswagen and Audi.
Rolf Behling, a _____ at e-Revolt, explained that they take out the old engine and use a _____ that fits into the engine area. The company _____ completes the conversion in about a day, including removing the old _____, adding the new battery, and making the car digital.
The _____ for this conversion is between €12,000 and €15,000 ($13,000 to $_____).
e-Revolt hopes to work _____ with car companies in the future to make cars more sustainable. _____ old cars into EVs is better for the environment than throwing them _____.
e-Revolt’s process _____ them easily switch to better parts, like batteries, when they become _____. It’s easy to upgrade the cars. _____ car companies usually don’t have that flexibility.
Currently, cars converted _____ e-Revolt can travel about 250 to 300 km on a single charge. The company is working to _____ this range.
Discussion questions
- Do you think more people should buy electric cars to help the environment? Why or why not?
- Would you prefer to convert an old car into an electric one or buy a brand-new electric car? Why?
- What other benefits or challenges do you see in converting old cars to EVs?
- How do you think car companies will respond to e-Revolt’s technology?
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