GM And Lingenfelter Introduce El Camino EV Concept, Reveal eCrate Motor Coming Next Year

General Motor’s electrification strategy extends beyond new vehicles as we’ve already seen the company invest in Pure Watercraft and dip their toes into the electromod market.

The automaker is now revealing more details about the latter as they announced their Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate Package will arrive next year to “extend EV technology to the aftermarket.”

GM didn’t go into many specifics, but revealed plans for an “electric specialty vehicle modifier program” that will allow customers to easily connect with qualified installers who have been “properly trained to replace a vehicle’s traditional internal combustion engine with a fully electric propulsion system.” This should take some of the guesswork out of selecting a company to perform your electric conversion.

Also Read: Chevrolet Converts 1977 K5 Blazer To Electric Power, Previews Upcoming eCrate Package

The company has also been working with Lingenfelter on an electric 1972 Chevrolet El Camino SS. GM said the vehicle represents the “first independent installation of the concept eCrate package, and boldly ushers in the next generation of EV components from Chevrolet Performance as the program prepares to launch in 2022.”

GM was tight-lipped on specifics, but Lingenfelter revealed the El Camino was completed this summer and racked up “hundreds of road test miles” prior to its debut at PRI. The tuning firm added the car was created for validation purposes and will help pave the way for the electric specialty vehicle modifiers program.

Performance specifications remain a mystery, but a display at PRI revealed the El Camino has a 66 kWh battery pack and an electric motor that is connected to a four-speed automatic transmission. It sends power to the rear wheels and the company said the “instantaneous torque makes it fun to drive.”

Besides parts for electromods, GM revealed a strategic collaboration with Textron Ground Support Equipment. This will result in the electrification of Textron GSE’s TUG line of baggage tractors, cargo tractors and belt loaders.

The companies showed off a proof of concept vehicle and it looks just like your typical belt loader.  We can expect to see production models in the future, with the initial focus being on baggage tractors and belt loaders.

GM went on to say they’ll “look to implement the latest in EV technology, regardless of battery generation or chemistry, to electrify a wide range of applications across industries” in the future.