Bay to Birdwood back with an EV category

SA historic motoring event returns with ‘world-first’ class for electric vehicle conversions

SA historic motoring event returns with ‘world-first’ class for electric vehicle conversions

The iconic South Australian classic motoring event Bay to Birdwood is back for 2022, with organisers having just locked in the October 16 event date and simultaneously announcing a new ‘EV Conversion’ category.

Bay to Birdwood is an annual historic car run from West Beach to the National Motor Museum in the Adelaide Hills, culminating in the Birdwood Festival of Historic Motoring.

After running almost every year since 1980 – COVID saw off the 2021 edition – this year’s event will see entries opened to any vehicle produced before 1993, including those that have been converted to an electric powertrain.

Photo credit: Silber Yin & Xplorer Studio

According to Bay to Birdwood chair Michael Neale, the new category was created as an acknowledgement of motoring’s evolving history.

“The Bay to Birdwood is not a commemoration of any one period of historic motoring; rather, we celebrate the history of motoring as a whole,” he said.

“Many people around the world and throughout Australia are currently undertaking EV conversions of their historic vehicles. It is a growing part of the future of historic motoring.

Photo credit: Silber Yin & Xplorer Studio

“We know that EV conversions of historic vehicles are already happening and that they will continue to grow in the future.

“Therefore, the event has an important role in encouraging conversions to be as sympathetic as possible.”

Neale added that while e-conversions are welcome, organisers want the vehicles to maintain “as much of their historical integrity” as possible, hence the creation of the new ‘EV Conversion Award’.

Judges will be looking for the vehicle that’s been e-converted the most ‘sympathetically’, with the winner set to receive a bespoke trophy.

“This represents a small but significant step forward in the Bay to Birdwood taking on a leadership position as the first, to my knowledge, Global Tier One historic motoring event to offer an EV conversion award,” Neale said.

Jaunt Motors will display its e-converted 1973 Land Rover Series III EV, which has undergone a full conversion. It features a 100kW/235Nm electric motor and Tesla-derived lithium-polymer batteries that offer 250km of driving range, as well as power steering and a regenerative braking system.

According to the Victorian-based company, the conversion took around six months to complete, at a cost of $260,000.

Photo credit: Silber Yin & Xplorer Studio

Other competition categories comprise the Concours d’Elegance Award (best presented vehicle and occupant ensemble) and the Preservation Award (best presented vehicle that hasn’t been restored).

Watching the collection of antique, veteran, vintage, post-war/early-classic, classic, post-classic and modern classics along the 67km route will be free for the public to enjoy.

However, the subsequent motor show is a ticketed event. See the Bay to Birdwood website for further information.

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