Back in August 2022, GM Authority covered Legacy EV’s 1966 Cadillac Coupe dEVille, an all-electric take on Caddy’s iconic Coupe de Ville lineup. Now, that same 1966 de Ville will be posted for auction at the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event.
Sporting a sexy white exterior on red interior color scheme, this 1966 Coupe de Ville is a custom piece of art that took Legacy EV over eight months to complete. Interestingly, this “electro-mod” retains a majority of the original interior and exterior styling.
By far the most striking aspect of this Cadillac is the drivetrain. The original carbureted 7.0L V8 gasoline engine was been swapped for three electric motors outputting a total of 394 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque. For reference, the original powerplant developed 340 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque.
A 55 kWh NMC lithium-ion battery pack provides the electrons, while a two-speed automatic transmission trades places with the original three-speed automatic to route the power to the ground.
Another notable characteristic of this 1966 Cadillac Coupe de Ville is the stance. The stock chassis, control arms and spindles are mated to 20-inch EVOD wheels, while an Airlift suspension setup allows for the perfect ride height in any condition.
“This was as much a passion project for our team, as it was a showcase of how to transform a gas-guzzling American classic into an electric vehicle,” Legacy EV CEO and Founder Rob Ward was quoted as stating. “We were particularly careful to maintain the Cadillac’s original design as we navigated the complexities of fitting a modern-day powerplant made of motors and lithium batteries into a vehicle that’s almost 60 years old. What our team accomplished with ‘dEVille’ is nothing short of incredible and I’m honored to have it cross the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction block.”
First built for SEMA 2021, this 1966 Cadillac Coupe de Ville “electro-mod” will be up for grabs with no reserve on January 26th, 2024 at the 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction. Regardless of some folks’ opinions on EV-converted rides, it’s hard to deny that this Caddy is anything but special.
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Comments
7.0 L?
There was not even a 2L soda in 66.
Goggle “1966 Ford Taunus 20M Cologne V6.” and let us know what you find.
😉
Not talking some foreign job.
Show me something from Cadillac showing a 7l engine, people in 66 would have no clue what a L is.
Here is a picture of my 1966 Pontiac GTO emblem. It is a 389 CID with tri power. I am the original owner. So in 1966 a liter or a Litre was known to the public.
I think some Ford Galaxy vehicles had the moniker 7 liter.
You would see that on Canadian built.
Yup. 1966, maybe 1967? Nice looking cars and ran well.
You’re really clueless you’re on Google saying this and some how you’re still wrong
Way to ruin a beautiful car.
7 Litre is the 428 engine.
Close. Caddys of this era came with 429s
428 was Ford’s Cobra-Jet….
Interesting idea. Not going to go far on a 55 kWh battery pack, especially if you spend run the suspension up and down much. I’d would rather have the car with the original 429 or a nice LS3.
So…….
…..am I the only one to mention that the car pictured is NOT a Coupe de Ville????
Officially this is a De Ville Convertible. Cadillac built a model by that name from 1964 tbrough 1970. A model unto itself. 3 minutes research would have made it clear.
I suppose just to prove you can do it is enough of a reason to do it. To make a geopolitical statement, however, that won’t…*meh*. Neil Young (yes, that one) once did the same conversion on a ’59 Lincoln Continental nearly 20 years ago as a geopolitical statement, so this isn’t really all that revolutionary a conversion. What happened to it? It caught fire on its own, in its storage unit. So, yeah, EV fires are not a myth, but a caveat for the potential buyer: Take care; just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it never will.