Electrifying?

Given the relatively imminent ban on new petrol powered cars is the grapevine giving any indication of Suzuki offering the Jimny in full electric, either before or in time for the ban? Secondly how expensive do we think a professional electrification would be on a Jimny? 

I have noticed more and more advertisements on hoardings telling us that Toyota and others are making great strides in hydrogen cells...
Now given Suzuki and Toyota are hand in glove now a days ..maybe common sense will prevail and this electrification phase will be just that .

So maybe not at all! We can only hope!

There is a company in Wales called Electric Classic Cars that specialises in converting petrol vehicles to electric. I think I saw it on a 5th Gear, Vicky BH as I remember.

Mind it’s not cheap a 1970s mini they did was about £80k.

As for Suzuki making one, it would be great but not sure I can see it happening. In fact the fun police is going to kill off all motor vehicles that burn fossil fuels and replace them with Johnny Cabs.

Suzuki missed an opportunity with the G4, it should have been a hybrid as a minimum (I know they are pointless), better still a full electric. The fact it's not just shows lack of insight or funds to develop anything new, bore the only engine out and change the shape for one last time.
The only hope I believe is what the collaboration with Toyota will bring, a RAV 4 electric "Jimny"?
Early days on the conversions, not enough competition to drive the price down. I have seen similar "classic" car conversions, the price depends upon the spec and the battery packs used, but they are usually 30K plus. That said I can get a kit for my 2CV for about 8K for DIY fitting, developed by one of the parts suppliers.
Only time will tell how this will all pan out, batteries, fuel cells, exchangeable packs, it's very much a VHS or Betamax stage.

 

The only reason I even remotely care is because the Jimny happens to be the perfect vehicle for how my farm is set up and adapting the farm to accommodate something bigger would be a massive unnecessary investment compared to buying or electrifying a Jimny. This does of course presume that livestock farming will still be be viable in 8 years time and that it is still something I can physically do. Contingency planning. After all even if they push the ban back a few years its inevitable at some point.

Lambert, I would wait as long as possible then pick up a Gen 4 or commercial and put it in a barn until Temeraire gives up the ghost. Best get a big petrol tank as well.

Petrol will be widely available until at least 2030 ~ 2035 after that it depends on demand, if that falls then less places will sell it.

The future for electric is not that great, the UK doesn't produce enough electricity for everyone to move to an electric vehicle, solar and wind is no good at night with no wind and storage is a very real problem. The only solution there is nuclear, but they take years to build and it is too late now. Plus much of our existing nuclear is coming to end of life and we needed to be replacing this 20 years ago.

Forget hydrogen as well, it is mostly produced from sea water, using electricity and is hard to distribute. I guess you could use the existing gas network, but everyone will have to change their bolier.

There is a real danger we are been taken back to log fires, or you could get a field of solar panels, a couple of wind turbines and as many old car batteries you can lay your hands on.

The old bright side for you, farm vehicles are probably exempt from the ban. Think I will re-register my Porsche as a tractor.