The Student Room Group

If I made a DIY electric car, What would I have to do to make it road legal

Basically if I were to gut an old petrol car and replace it with electric drive, what hoops would I have to jump through to drive it on the roads.
Original post by Grespino
Basically if I were to gut an old petrol car and replace it with electric drive, what hoops would I have to jump through to drive it on the roads.


http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/contents/made

then you'd have to get it insured
Depending on the extent of the modifications, you may have to put it through an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA). It's possible that if the modifications are sufficiently minor you'd just need to inform DVSA of the change in power plant.


The OP would have to get it registered before insuring it, which, unless I'm mistaken, means filling out a V627/1 and getting the car type approved.
Original post by TheMcSame
The OP would have to get it registered before insuring it, which, unless I'm mistaken, means filling out a V627/1 and getting the car type approved.


Type approval is for volume production, not limited production or one off builds.
Just buy something French, it'll be exactly what you're likely to achieve.
Original post by CurlyBen
Type approval is for volume production, not limited production or one off builds.

Converting an ICE to electric would likely put it in one of two categories; A radical alteration or a kit conversion. Both kit converted and radically altered vehicles require evidence of type approval. I'd imagine there might be some specific exemptions regarding age, but anything sold in the last... 25 year or so is most likely going to need that evidence.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by TheMcSame
Converting an ICE to electric would likely put it in one of two categories; A radical alteration or a kit conversion. Both kit converted and radically altered vehicles require evidence of type approval. I'd imagine there might be some specific exemptions regarding age, but anything sold in the last... 25 year or so is most likely going to need that evidence.


One offs are never required to be type approved. Depending on the extent of the alterations an IVA may be required, but not type approval - as I said previously that's for volume production.
Original post by CurlyBen
One offs are never required to be type approved. Depending on the extent of the alterations an IVA may be required, but not type approval - as I said previously that's for volume production.

IVA is type approval...
Original post by TheMcSame
IVA is type approval...


IVA is individual vehicle. Type is all vehicles of type. :wink:

I used to do some work with vehicle approval, but if you still don't believe me look at the DVSA website. "A type can best be viewed as a range of vehicles, which share a set of fundamental characteristics"
Original post by CurlyBen
IVA is individual vehicle. Type is all vehicles of type. :wink:

I used to do some work with vehicle approval, but if you still don't believe me look at the DVSA website. "A type can best be viewed as a range of vehicles, which share a set of fundamental characteristics"

Government website says otherwise, IVA is type approval as far as they're concerned....
Original post by TheMcSame
Government website says otherwise, IVA is type approval as far as they're concerned....


Then it's wrong as well. The quote I gave you on the definition of a type is from the Vehicle Certification Agency, and as they're the UK's issuing body for Type Approvals, it seems reasonable to think they know what a Type is.

It really is dead simple.

Individual Vehicle Approval = approval for one vehicle = every vehicle must be inspected
(Whole vehicle) Type Approval = approval for all vehicles of type, i.e. built to the approved design = no further inspection necessary

The reason for making the distinction is because Type Approval is a massive process, and it's just unhelpful to suggest it's required when it isn't. I am done arguing whether IVA is a Type Approval though, no matter what some undisclosed 'government website' says.

Quick Reply