The Nissan Leaf may be one of the best-selling electric vehicles ever produced but it’s never been particularly fun or exciting to drive. However, thanks to a series of wild modifications, this particular 2013 Leaf is quite different.
As you can see in the video below that was discovered by The Drive, this Leaf was purchased by mechanical engineer Derek Young in the U.S. but it had a major problem. Battery degradation. In fact, the battery pack was so badly degraded that it only had a range of around 25 miles. So, being the enthusiast that he is, Young decided to overhaul the Leaf and install the engine from a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R motorcycle that was wrecked while street racing.
Installing such an engine in an EV like the Leaf was no easy task. Indeed, Young had to fit the rear subframe of a Lexus IS350 into the rear of the Leaf. This allowed him to securely mount the motorcycle engine into the trunk. Things are made all the more interesting by the fact that the electrical components of the Nissan’s standard powertrain still function.
Read: Kawasaki EV Prototype Previews Its First Electric Motorcycle
As a matter of fact, Young has been able to get the motorcycle engine to work alongside the electric motor and battery pack, turning this leaf into a plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive. It can be driven solely on electric power, a combined mode with both the electric motor and the engine, as well as a high-performance mode that unleashes all of the Kawasaki’s 998 cc power and 13,000 rpm red line.
Young has made a host of other impressive changes to the car. For example, it now rocks the front brake calipers from a Nissan 370Z while rocking the brake discs of a Ford Mustang. It also features unique side air intakes sticking out from the side rear windows as well as a unique rear wing to stick Nexen tires to the pavement.