Jay Leno knows quite a bit about electric cars and even owns a newer Tesla Model S Plaid but this Porsche 935 is a different beast. Created by Bisi Ezerioha, owners of Bisimoto Engineering, it’s unlike most of the other electrified restomods we’ve seen online because just about everything, including the motor itself, is uniquely customized.
Oftentimes, those who convert a muscle car or any other classic vehicle to electric power simply drop some form of a Tesla motor into the chassis and then add batteries wherever they can. That’s still admirable but Bisimoto Engineering went a few steps further.
This 636-horsepower (475 kW) Porsche makes that power through the use of a Tesla motor that Ezerihoa modified himself to spin faster than it would originally. To keep things safe and sound, he says that he also changed out the bearings and used something he calls a “ceramic matrix” to provide more fluidity too.
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Instead of using Tesla batteries, this 935 is equipped with LG Chemcells for a total of 32 kWh and around 130 miles (209 km) of range. Of course, this beast still benefits from the wild acceleration associated with Tesla and most electric vehicles and it’s that power that Leno can’t help but love on the road.
As Ezerihoa is trying to explain some of the features and Leno is pulling out of the road that his garage is on, Leno stabs the throttle and stops Bisi in mid-sentence. “It drives and handles wonderfully,” says Leno after some 20 minutes of footage. The two car guys spend the drive talking about the car itself and the future and the past of electric vehicles.
Leno talks not just about how electric cars predated gasoline vehicles but also about how he once drove an electric Rolls Royce some 15 years ago. Ezerioha says that building a modern iteration will now be on his to-do list for the future and that he hopes the comedian will give him some feedback on it.
Leno also talks about how the transition from gasoline to electric has been rough for some enthusiasts but he feels like there’s a clear line in the sand. “Do you want to win the race or not,” he says pointing to the clear advantage that electric cars have over combustion engines when it comes to instant torque.