1957 Chevy ProjectX With 340-HP Electric Powertrain Arrives at SEMA

Chevy continues to prove that you can combine EV power with classic cars.

Chevrolet presents the Project X by Cagnazzi Racing and Hot Rod Magazine. This electric powertrain takes a 1957 Chevy and adds 340 horsepower (253 kilowatts) to it. It also produces 330 pound-feet (47 Newton-meters). At the SEMA show, you can see this cutting-edge restomod.

Project X’s battery has a capacity of 30 kilowatts and can run at 400 volts. The car is capable of driving far enough to take a weekend trip, but there are no details about the range. According to the company, the pack is being considered for possible use in the next generation Chevrolet Performance product. The unit is modular and a builder can choose the one that suits his needs based on cost, weight, and range.

A differential allows an owner to change the final-drive ratio. You can choose taller gears for greater range and shorter ratios for better acceleration.

Cagnazzi Racing can lower Project X by about two inches. Project X now doesn’t have an exhaust. Because this powertrain is lighter at the front than it is at the back, the suspension has been modified to include stiffer rear springs and softer front springs. An electric brake booster is included and an electrohydraulic power steering pumps are also available.

The 2021 Chevrolet Corvette has a push-button gear selector inside.

Since 1965, Project X is a part of Hot Rod magazine. The vehicle is used by the magazine as a test bed for new tech, such as the supercharged LSXV8 that was in it before the electric powertrain swap.

Chevrolet Performance will offer EV propulsion solutions to enthusiasts who want to modernize their cars, as General Motors’ pioneering EV technology is released,” Prashant Ahire (eCrate regional chief engineering) said about the build.

Chevy made a similar build for last year’s SEMA Show by installing an eCrate electric motortrain in a 1977 K5 Blazer. It produced 200 horsepower (149kilowatts) as well as 266 lbft (361 Newton meters) of torque, and had a 60-kWh lithium-ion battery.