This years Specialty Equipment Market Association Show demonstrates that the world of electric vehicles goes well beyond just Tesla

By Tyler Brock

The Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas usually brings to mind images of fire-spitting, high-octane, performance-bred machines on display in what most would consider a gear head's paradise. This year however, there was a 21,000-square-foot section where things were a little bit quieter called "SEMA Electrified."

Tesla is probably the first manufacturer that most people think of when talking about electric vehicles, but major names like GM, Ford and Volkswagen are also making huge technological contributions to the space.

Delorean DMC12 EV Conversion built by Ampere / Photo by Tyler Brock

The major push in the market has brought not only a large number of smaller boutique manufacturers to produce their own vehicles, but has also opened up an entire market dedicated to converting already existing vehicles to be powered by electricity. On display at the conference was everything from Land Rovers and Jeep Wranglers, to classic Datsun and Chevy pick-up trucks.

One standout at the conference from a smaller manufacturer is a new company based out of Temecula, California called Scorpion EV. Scorpion EV has partnered with Factory Five Racing, who builds replica 427 Cobra Roadsters, to create the Scorpion 600, which they had on display. The car is powered by a Tesla S performance motor with two Tesla battery packs and makes 600 horsepower and 687 ft-lb of torque.

Scorpion 600 on display at SEMA / Photo by Tyler Brock

The battery packs and electric motor are laid out within the framework to give the car an even 50/50 weight distribution. The car will be limited to a production run of 20 to 25 cars a year. Scorpion also unveiled the Scorpion 1000 at SEMA which is rated at over 1,000 horsepower and 1,000 lb-ft of torque and will also be limited to 20 to 25 cars a year.

On the other end of the electric vehicle spectrum is a company called Conductive Classics based out of Boise, Idaho. Conductive Classics had a classic 1958 Chevy Apache pick-up truck on display that has been converted to run on electricity. The engine bay is downright cavernous with the electric motor compared to the six-cylinder that came with it from the factory, and the battery packs are cleverly hidden in a toolbox in the bed of the truck.

Conductive Classics clever solution to hiding the Tesla battery packs / By Tyler Brock

With everything closed up it would be difficult to tell that it was anything but factory. The truck uses Tesla S battery packs and the electric motor makes 120 horsepower, which is right around what the factory six-cylinder made, and is connected to a 5-speed manual transmission. If you have a classic car, Conductive Classics conversions start at $45,000.

Conductive Classics 1958 Chevy Apache EV conversion at SEMA / Photo by Tyler Brock

From factory productions to sports cars, and even classic conversions, electric vehicles have carved out their own place in the industry. IHS Markit predicts that 25 to 30 percent of new car sales will be electric vehicles by the year 2030.

Electric Vehicles gains traction at SEMA