For the 1972 Munich Olympics, BMW built two electric 1602s. Part of their job was to serve as VIP transport, but it was also used to lead the marathon and other long-distance running races. The idea being that it’d be much more pleasant to run behind a quiet car with no emissions, rather than a traditional gas-powered car blowing fumes at the runners, A great idea. It wasn’t quick, the batteries added 772 pounds and it only had 43 hp. It also had 37 miles of range, enough to complete a marathon but not much more. Those numbers would be a non-starter today, but in 1972 it was pretty impressive.
The electric 1602 build for the 1972 Munich Olympics
Photo: BMW
Now, there are EV conversions of classic cars popping up all over the place. From 911s to E-Types, classics are being EV converted for many reasons. Maybe the owner is an environmentalist of EV enthusiast. Maybe the car was totaled and part of the rebuild is this new powertrain. Or maybe the owner just wants something different. Point is, if a car is mass produced to a level where an EV conversion isn’t ruining a rare piece of history, then it’s the same as any other engine swap. This 2002 is a perfect example.
Created by Bavarian Econs Tech, the 2002te uses the front drive unit from a Tesla Model S and pairs it with a 33kWh battery from an i3. That means it weighs 2400 pounds and helps it get to 60 in 6.2 seconds. For perspective, a 1972 2002tii tested by Car and Driver got to 60 in 9.0 seconds, and the electric 1602 took 8.0 seconds to hit 30 mph and its top speed was 62. The 2002te is quicker to 60 than a 2002 Turbo, which hit the benchmark in about 6.9 seconds.
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- The 2002te’s interior looks stock, other than the shifter. Photo via Bring a Trailer
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- Under the hood of the 2002 te. Photo via Bring a Trailer
This very clean conversion is Golf Yellow and rides on 13-inch Alpina wheels. The suspension is via KW coilovers, and it maintains the stock brakes. If you saw it standing still, you’d be hard pressed to realize that this is an EV. That’s what you want. This car is currently for sale on Bring-a-Trailer, and we’ll update with a price once the auction ends.
