The hospitality industry is interested in electrified Bentley and Rolls-Royce cars. Image source: LUNAZ GROUP
文/Alistair Charlton
Lunaz is a company that specializes in electrifying luxury cars; according to the company, the business of restoring classic British classic cars and replacing their engines with electric motors is booming.
Customers are now demanding electrification modifications to Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Land Rover and Jaguar, so much so that the company's plans for 2022 and 2023 are full and stop taking orders. To meet the demand, the company also increased its headcount by 500 percent to 120 people in 12 months.
Former footballer David Beckham, also one of Luaz's investors, is currently expanding its headquarters at Silverstone, England (which is also home to the F1 circuit of the same name) to bring the number of cars it repairs, modifies and electrifies to 110 cars a year. This number is up 50% compared to 2020.
The company's electrified flagship model is the Aston Martin DB6, which starts at $1.3 million (including tax). Image source: LUNAZ GROUP
The plant, which repairs and electrifies luxury cars, will expand production by 400 percent in 2022 to cope with what Luaz calls "massive" sales in Europe, the United States and the Asia-Pacific region.
Lunaz said classic cars that have been retrofitted by its electrification are attracting a new generation of buyers. "These buyers have previously refused to buy classic cars due to issues such as reliability, availability and sustainability," the company said. But as a completely upgraded, air-pollution-free modification, Lunaz addresses these issues, making owning a classic car a topic of interest to future generations. ”
Unsurprisingly, these cars are expensive. The classic Range Rover, modified by Lunza, starts at £290,000 ($395,000), plus local taxes. Repair and modification costs for Bentley Continental and Rolls-Royce Silver Clouds start at £350,000 ($476,000) including tax, while repair and modification costs for the Rolls-Royce Phantom V start at £550,000 ($748,000) and the newly added Aston Martin DB6 .000 Db6) retrofit costs start at £950,000 (US$1.3 million).
The order now placed will be delivered in 2024, as Lunza can only retrofit up to 110 cars per year. Image source: LUNAZ GROUP
In addition to particularly wealthy buyers looking to convert their first classic car into an electric car, Lunaz also found that the recovery in the hospitality industry is also driving demand for its modified models such as The Bentley, Land Rover and Rolls-Royce. Lunaz said the low-noise, zero-carbon classic limousine will be a highlight of luxury hotels in the city centre, while the first rolls-royce and Bentley sedans, which have been converted by it, will soon be delivered.
David Lorenz, Founder and CEO of Lunaz Group, said: "The surge in demand for Vintage Cars modified from Lunaz around the world illustrates that these customers are responding to the assertion that while retaining the most famous classic cars in uk car history, we need to respond to the urgent need for a global transition to more sustainable practices. We are proud to introduce the joys of owning a classic car to a new, environmentally conscious audience by addressing key issues such as reliability, availability and sustainability. ”
Owning an environmentally responsible car — even if it costs more money — is a top priority on millennial drivers' wish lists. Lunaz said this is reflected in the fact that the "vast majority" of its customers come from a younger group outside of the typical luxury car buyers.
The plant is located opposite the British Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. Image source: LUNAZ GROUP
Lunaz also offers different options for environmentally conscious buyers, which are woven from recycled fishing nets but look and feel alike to traditional lamb wool. The company says 100 percent recycled textiles are found throughout its modified cabins. The details of other upgrades are also reflected in the switchgear: these switchgear are maintained and repaired, but are reused, for example they show the battery's charge status instead of the fuel level.
Jen Holloway, design director at Lunaz, said: "Our work to reinvent these best classic cars represents a fundamental protection of the significance of their far more than the sum of their parts. We are proud to have written a new chapter in these extraordinary heirloom cars. ”