The Jet Electra 007 Was A Past Vision Of An Electric Future

The "Electra 007" badges connected this 1980 Dodge Omni 024 aren't immoderate misguided effort to move it into a mediocre man's James Bond car. However, nan exertion wrong mightiness person impressed Q himself, astatine slightest successful 1980. This is simply a Jet Industries electrical conversion of nan Omni 024. It's not the first clip we've seen one, but this illustration is successful overmuch amended condition, and surely much original than the modified Lemons racer. Best of all, this 1 tin beryllium yours, acknowledgment to Mecum Auctions.

Details of this peculiar car's history are sparse, but we tin capable successful immoderate blanks. During nan precocious 1970s and early 1980s, Jet Industries converted astir 1,400 vehicles to electrical power, including Ford and Subaru models arsenic good arsenic Chrysler products. According to Autoweek, Jet was 1 of 4 companies fixed authorities grants to push nan limits of EV exertion astatine nan time. The U.S. was coming retired of an power crisis, and electrical cars were 1 measurement to free america from Big Oil. Sound familiar?

The authorities besides helped money Chrysler's improvement of nan then-futuristic, aerodynamic body, which it shared pinch nan Plymouth Horizon TC3. The modular car came pinch a VW-sourced 1.7-liter motor making 70 horsepower — not precisely a barnstormer. Jet Industries replaced this pinch a 23-hp electrical motor. It still utilized nan VW four-speed manual transmission, dissimilar modern EVs that typically person a single-speed transmission.

The dashboard has a sticker advising what cogwheel to usage astatine which speed. It besides has further gauges for artillery amps and percent of charge. I also admit an Espar heater control, commonly utilized successful camper vans today. With nary gasoline motor to nutrient heat, this must person been a basal supplement.

The rear cargo area is mostly gone, converted into a ample artillery container pinch further electrical meters. As pinch astir toys, batteries are not included successful this car. This is astir apt a bully thing, since nan original 20 six-volt lead-acid batteries weighed astir 1,000 pounds, astir half nan weight of nan original car.

That, ultimately, is why this procreation of EVs failed. The exertion was simply not precocious capable to make it applicable for mundane use. While EVs are still heavy, batteries person vastly improved, range is connected par pinch gas-powered vehicles, and performance is better, not worse. Still, nan Jet Electra 007 is an absorbing clip capsule of an anticipated EV early that ne'er came to be.