- Electrogenic has teamed up with a Hollywood star for another EV project
- Two Land Rovers and three classic Harley-Davidsons will be electric
- Partnership is for the new series of On Roam
A UK-based conversion company that specializes in developing electric powertrains for classic vehicles has revealed that it has reconstructed five of Hollywood star Jason Momoa’s beloved machines for a new series of HBO On Roam.
The list of vehicles includes two very rare Land Rovers and three vintage Harley-Davidsons, all first produced in the 1920s.
Electrogenic and Momoa have so much history that the company converted his 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II to electric power back in 2024, but the latest project was even more ambitious.
“The engineering challenge with Land Rovers was to introduce electric power while retaining the original four-wheel drive transmission, which is what gives these iconic vehicles their unrivaled off-road capabilities,” explains Steve Drummond, CEO of Electrogenic.
Harley-Davidsons were perhaps even more complicated as they have been converted to run on either electricity alone, petrol or a hybrid mixture of both. Even better, they now offer electric start, so no more broken shins trying to kickstart the old gas engine.
Momoa’s 1949 Land Rover Series I 80 conversion centers around a compact 48kWh battery pack that has been neatly packed into the original engine bay, replacing the old 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
The batteries are housed in a custom enclosure designed to match the vehicle’s old patina, helping to preserve the classic look while introducing modern EV technology under the skin.
Power comes from a 150kW electric motor, although torque has been deliberately dialed back to suit the lightweight nature of the original vehicle and preserve its drivability rather than creating a souped-up monster.
The four-wheel drive transmission remains, along with all the original low-range functionality, complete with mechanical levers.
The conversion also adds CCS fast-charging capability and delivers a real-world range of more than 150 miles, all without cutting, drilling or permanently altering the original vehicle.
I drove Electrogenic’s amazing DeLorean back in 2024 and can fully vouch for the work it does – it’s nothing short of amazing.
Analysis: Preserving history, one electric motor at a time
Momoa claims his electrified Harley-Davidsons, which use rear-hub motors from Maeving motorcycles and batteries stored in discreet, custom-built bags, are “the best we’ve ever made”.
“I’ve ridden an e-bike before, I’ve ridden e-bikes, I’ve ridden e-motorcycles, but the idea of riding an old (electrified) bike, it was just unlike anything I’ve experienced,” he said, stating that the ability to switch to the gas engine just adds to the versatility.
Electrogenic says that, as with many of the other previous projects, ‘plug and play’ kits have been produced that now enable owners of other vintage cars and motorcycles to have their vehicles discreetly converted to electric power, without the massive costs of the initial R&D phases.
Conversion kits for a Classic Mini, for example, start at around $20,000 / £15,000 / AU$28,000, while older Land Rover Defenders can benefit from emission-free, near-silent propulsion from around $32,000 / £24,000 / AU$45,000. The FD / JD Harley Davidson kit is also available from Electrogenic for $19,500 / £14,500 (around AU$28,000).
It’s certainly not cheap, but it can be one of the simplest and most reliable ways to keep aging classics on the road.
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