Hollywood sensation Jason Momoa is a proper gearhead whose love for vintage automotive creations is well known. While he’s often seen riding his pre-war Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Aquaman star’s garage is also home to several classic cars. However, the newest addition to his collection is a new vehicle that beautifully blends the charm of vintage cars with the technology of modern-day vehicles. You might have guessed it correctly, Momoa has got himself an electric restomod. To build himself a properly unique automobile, the actor handed over his almost one-century-old Rolls-Royce to British EV specialists Electrogenic. The result is something quite interesting, although it might trigger some purists.
Electrogenic claims it to be “the most ambitious and complex EV conversion ever undertaken,” which took eighteen months and thousands of man-hours to complete. The 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II actually belongs to Momoa, and the entire conversion process has been chronicled for his documentary series called “On The Roam.” Interestingly, the British company claims that the electromod is completely reversible, ensuring that Momoa can switch back to Phantom II’s original powertrain whenever he wants.
The biggest change made to the vintage Rolls-Royce is swapping the original 7.7-liter pushrod-OHV straight-six, which produces between 40 and 50 horsepower, with an electric motor that generates 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet. Under the hand-riveted aluminum cowling is a 93-kWh battery pack that can store enough energy to give the Rolls-Royce a range of 150 miles. The EV specialists also had to make very complex alterations and modifications to the car to retain the “natural” characteristics of the vehicle. It includes reworking the braking system, which was needed to handle the added performance.
Electrogenic also made sure that jaw-dropping original coachwork by HJ Mulliner and Co. remains unaltered. The company also did not touch the leather and wood trim but repurposed the Phantom’s original switchgear. An LED state-of-charge display sits in place of the fuel gauge, while the oil and water temperature dials show the car’s charger and electric motor temperatures.
Talking about the build, Momoa said: “In order to pull off this dream project, I had to find the right partner. I needed a team that would appreciate the storied history of this car while updating its technology. Electrogenic is all about honouring vintage cars. Making them electric without losing any of the vehicle’s character. They were the perfect fit.”
