1984 Maserati Biturbo EV Conversion for Sale Is a Suave City Car Bargain
It’s infinitely more stylish than other EVs at its price, and probably more reliable than stock.
Ah, the Maserati Biturbo: A groundbreaking and delightful car, by most accounts. Also, a high-maintenance diva that wasn't very well-engineered. In other words, the perfect candidate for an EV conversion—the kind performed on a Biturbo currently listed for sale in Florida.
The Biturbo was, as its name implies, powered by a twin-turbo engine—the first in a production car. Auspicious, but also risky for a company with a reliability rep like Maserati's. Its maintenance cost has been likened to that of a Ferrari 328, which—for all the character I'm sure it has—is a lot to ask for unexceptional performance. In U.S. trim, its 2.5-liter twin-turbo V6 made 220 horsepower at most. It's understandable, then, why someone would swap it out for an electric motor and a bunch of batteries.
Both live under the hood of this 1984 Biturbo listed on Facebook Marketplace. Juice trickles from batteries sourced from the Chevy Volt PHEV and Smart ForTwo to a nine-inch ImPulse DC motor, which is rated at about 38 hp and 70 lb-ft. Not a lot of performance, but at least it still has the stock five-speed transmission to make use of every last bit of it.
Like many EV conversions, however, range is lacking. The seller claims less than 75 miles and it's easy to understand why. Battery capacity in kilowatt-hours isn't shared, but if we assume the kW rating listed actually means voltage, then that gives this Maserati EV a believable capacity of 24.8 kWh. Not great, but great for an around-town novelty, one that still has power windows, radio, and a lush, all-original '80s Italian interior. It's the kind of car you'd show up to a date in.
Best of all, this luxurious EV conversion is one you might be able to afford: Its seller asks just $5,750. Yes, it's mostly a city car, and maintenance will still make your eyes water, but it's a compelling alternative to other bargain-basement EVs. It's about what you'd pay for the cheapest first-gen Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi i-Miev these days, and neither of them broadcast good taste in brandy, do they?
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com
