Every Step Lunaz Takes to Transform Classic British Cars Into E.V.s

Lunaz doesn’t simply replace a classic engine with generic components. Lorenz and Hilton spent two and a half years developing fixed platforms for each of the five marques their workshop converts. This built-to-order hardware—which consists of the electric motors, battery packs, brakes, and suspension— provides the backbone for each E.V. that leaves the company’s production facility in Silverstone, England.

Bianchedi came to Lunaz the old-fashioned way: online. The businessman first saw a Lunaz electric Phantom on social media. The company usually helps clients pick a model before acquiring a donor vehicle (although it can overhaul ones from your collection). Fortunately for Bianchedi, it was already converting a 1956 Silver Cloud I that aligned with his taste.

Because the car becomes each buyer’s individual canvas, deciding on all the customizations—from wood paneling to upholstery to paint color—can take over three weeks. Bianchedi wanted a stylish car that he could smoke cigars in. “Most people come to us wanting to experience the journey of making something truly bespoke and truly unique,” Lorenz says.

Typical Lunaz conversions are over 60 years old—plenty of time for scars to accumulate—so craftspeople must carefully strip each car down to its core elements in a process that can last up to three weeks. “When you take off all the paint and you shot blast it, sometimes you see very little metal left in these cars,” Lorenz explains. When such damage is repaired, the car is dry built, a stage of at least 350 hours, in which the car is reassembled to ensure that everything fits just right.

When the components are fitted, the car is hand-painted with a high-powered spray gun. “I’ve actually had the same person paint pretty much every one of our cars,” Lorenz says. “He’s fantastic. It really is an art in itself.” Once the paint is dry, the chrome trim is applied. Because chrome plating is tightly restricted in the U.K., producing these accents is one of the few processes Lunaz outsources.

Conversions are assembled in much the same way as the traditional automobiles they are based on. The difference is in the components that are used, especially those that comprise the E.V. platform, such as the dual-motor power train. Unlike most other E.V. tuners, Lunaz designs and manufactures its own battery packs; the power-distribution unit and the electronic-control unit that manages the vehicle’s new systems are also added at this stage. Assembly time can vary, but a car like the Cloud requires anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 hours.

The final step is also one of the longest. The Lunaz teams spend between three and five months crafting and applying the finishing touches. Trimming Bianchedi’s Cloud fell on the higher end of that spectrum. Its bespoke elements include a small humidor that holds six Cubans and magnetized wooden ashtrays that won’t slide off the rear tray tables, even during sharp turns.

Lunaz tests each of its vehicles before delivery to ensure its roadworthiness. “There are a lot of moving components in that vehicle that have been put together, and we want to make sure everything is perfect,” Lorenz says. Each conversion covers at least 500 miles before being handed over to the client.

Each delivery, like the car itself, is tailored to the individual. Lunaz has tied this moment to a special event; some of its cars have been presented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The company will also typically produce a complementary accessory or art piece. For Bianchedi, that meant a 200-cigar humidor crafted from an old Hermès suitcase for the trunk.