Elderly Jeep Willys gets a second life thanks to Tesla tech

The recently revealed Jeep Wrangler Magneto EV could prove interesting for those in the market for a retro-looking battery SUV, but remains uncertain whether it ever reaches production and what it may cost. Here’s what looks like a worthy alternative.

The restomod is based on the Jeep Willys, an army off-roader brought home by a U.S. soldier. The man put it in a stainless-steel body in the 1960s and later handed it over to his son, who contacted New York-based shop Ai Design for a full restoration.

The tuner retrofitted the car with an electric motor with undisclosed specifications and a Tesla traction battery rated at 25 kilowatt-hours. You can peek inside through the seven bars of the radiator grille to see the battery inside.

Watch the video for a full overview and a test drive by Matt Farah of The Smoking Tires.