Hi everyone 

I was wondering if anyone has built a kit as electric at first registration as opposed to converting an existing registered car 

I'm considering it but trying to get any direct answers from the dvla about what particular hoops they would want me to jump through seems impossible

and i don't want to spend the time and money just to find out it's prohibitly expensive, so if anyone has any insight or knowledge on the subject I'd love to hear it

i have already done an electric conversion of a BMW Z3 https://zroadster.org/threads/z3-ev-conversion.53049/

Thanks

Great British Sportcars (GBS) (who took over Robin Hood) were given a contract a few years ago to build an electric GBS Zero as a concept.  They did build one and have displayed it at a number of shows.   Although I don't think they took it through IVA.

I thought the issue was going to be the registration, DVLA wanted it to be type approved, that's why it never got as far as IVA, I also thought it was Stuart Mills of MEV not GBS, but I could well be wrong.

2 hours ago, phaeton said:

I thought the issue was going to be the registration, DVLA wanted it to be type approved, that's why it never got as far as IVA, I also thought it was Stuart Mills of MEV not GBS, but I could well be wrong.

Thanks for the info, I'm currently working my way through various departments in the DVLA trying to get a definitive answer 

16 hours ago, andybp1966 said:

Thanks for the info, I'm currently working my way through various departments in the DVLA trying to get a definitive answer 

Good luck with that, with the huge increase in agency staff working off flowcharts getting through to somebody who actually knows what they are talking about is now very difficult

Edited September 23, 2025Sep 23 by phaeton
spilling mustacks

Just in case anyone comes across this topic

Dont waste your time unless you have a ridiculous budget it's totally uneconomical due to the safety testing required as it has to be tested to R100.01

the only economical route is to convert a car with a current v5

2 hours ago, andybp1966 said:

Just in case anyone comes across this topic

Dont waste your time unless you have a ridiculous budget it's totally uneconomical due to the safety testing required as it has to be tested to R100.01

the only economical route is to convert a car with a current v5

That is what I was expecting, but did wonder if the rules had changed