Future-proofing the R4 as an EV for £15k?
I really like the concept, but is the primary objective to reduce your carbon footprint or to save on fuel costs?
Capital costs aside (particularly return on investment), are the any R4 out there converted to LPG? As this gas is a waste by-product of the petrol-chemical refinement process and less than half the current unleaded pump prices, might this be considered (at £1k-£2k conversion) as a simple, cost-effective and sustainable compromise?
Looking at the long-term life-cycle manufacturing costs, all our 30-60 year-old cars will have written-off their materials and construction impacts long ago, so their ongoing carbon footprint is limited to servicing, consumables and repair costs, plus a small proportion of fossil fuel consumption at 40mpg.
It's a complicated equation with so many variables, but the ongoing R4 ethos has always been supreme simplicity... Less is more!