Few Japanese sports cars are as iconic or as beloved as the Honda S2000 but that hasn’t stopped one guy from building a particularly wild S2000 now powered exclusively by electricity.
As electric vehicles become more common and accessible, a growing number of car enthusiasts are performing electric powertrain swaps on cars that would otherwise sport traditional internal combustion engines. This particular S2000 was brought to life by the guys at Rywire Motorsports Electronics and featured on a recent video from Hoonigan.
While the S2000 originally left the factory with a high-revving four-cylinder engine, this example now has two battery packs from the Chevrolet Volt hybrid, making for a total of 38 kWh and giving it around 100-120 miles (160-193 km) of range when driven in a somewhat tamed manner. These batteries send their juice to an electric motor lifted from a Tesla that drives the rear wheels and pumps out no less than 500 hp at the wheels.
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While getting this electric motor to work with the batteries and efficiently power the Honda wasn’t easy, it actually slots below the trunk of the S2000 quite easily. The car also features a Quaife limited-slip differential.
A number of visual modifications have also been made to the car to ensure that it looks unlike any other S2000. For example, a new bumper was crafted that features a lower grille similar in design to Volkswagen’s current ID models. The sports car is also sitting on a unique set of aerodynamic wheels.
Some changes have also been made to the cabin. For example, it is rocking the OEM tonneau cover from the S2000 CR and also has a set of red and black Sparco seats. There is also a 3D-printed gear selector and a new digital gauge cluster that displays things like voltage, throttle position, battery temperature, and speed.