A80 Supra underway to becoming a Tesla EV

A Japanese car aficionado from the United States wants to switch his A80 Toyota Supra to the all-electric powertrain of the Tesla Model S. The first parts have already been installed.

The man claims he first came across the idea last summer, but couldn’t proceed with the swap until now due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He purchased a Tesla Model S P100D engine, a 90-kWh traction battery, suspension, brakes, and a sub-frame to support the bulky motor. Outfitted like this, the original Tesla needs 2.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 miles per hour).

As for the donor Supra, he settled on buying a used example with an aftermarket roll cage installed, but no engine. He arranged the batteries under the hood and is planning to accommodate the motor inside the trunk.

The tuner says he primarily intends to drive his Tesla Supra (or is it Toyota Model S?) on track days, but will try to obtain a street driving permit for it as well. He reckons the car should be able to cover a quarter-mile in 8 seconds, a considerable improvement over the 10 seconds of the Tesla Model S P100D.