It’s not as famous or as special as its 1954 to 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL predecessor, but the W113-codenamed SL series that replaced it from 1963 through 1971 remains a true classic and one of the most elegantly designed models to wear the star on its hood.
That said, most owners would be extremely hesitant to make any radical changes to such a classic model, but not eBay seller christo323 who turned a 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL into a primitive Tesla of sorts, swapping its inline-six gasoline engine for an all-electric powertrain.
“This car was converted by a master mercedes mechanic, who happened to be one of the original electric car prototypers for GM,” says the owner. “He was the only person I would trust this car with, and it took me a year to find him. It took him over 600 hours to complete and virtually none of the original internal components remain. It’s ‘Back to the Future’ under the hood, 1965 outside. I’m still looking for the flux capacitor.”
With the current setting, the EV version of the SL has a driving range of about 30 miles (close to 50 kilometers) and a top speed of around 55mph (89 km/h), with the owner stating that, “the range can be changed very easily and cheaply to 50 or 60 miles” with an upgraded battery package and revised electronics.
The car’s list price on eBay currently stands at $35,000 [€26,200].
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