DIY 912E Conversion: Every Step

I'm documenting the electric conversion of my 1976 Porsche 912E in the San Francisco Bay Area - from engineering decisions and component selection through installation, testing and the finished car.

Current project

912E-lectric

I am converting my 1976 Porsche 912E to electric power and documenting the build as it happens. The 912E is essentially a four-cylinder Porsche 911, with only 2,099 built for a single model year as a bridge between the 914 and 924. It's the perfect platform for an electric Porsche 911 conversion, and with this project I will show the details along the way, not just the final result. So I'm sharing all the engineering decisions, component selection, packaging, teardown and installation, testing, problems and solutions, and lessons learned.

1976 Porsche 912E before electric conversion work — Original car Spring 2025 My 912E with over 317,000 miles before the restoration and conversion work begins.

Body restoration work on the 1976 Porsche 912E — Body restoration Summer 2025 Bodywork and paint preparation ahead of partial interior, glass, and seal restoration.

Carsten Puls working with EV conversion components at the MakeMineElectric workshop — Make Mine Electric workshop Fall 2025 Learning from experienced EV conversion experts at the Switch Vehicles workshop.

Suspension and brake upgrades installed under the rear fender of the Porsche 912E — Suspension upgrades Spring 2026 Suspension, steering, and brake upgrades as the chassis is prepared for the build.

Engine bay of the Porsche 912E before electric conversion work — Original engine bay Summer 2026 Original engine bay showing the 2.0 liter, air-cooled, flat-four, VW "Type 4" boxer motor.

Cardboard battery mockup positioned in the front compartment of the Porsche 912E — Sizing the front battery box Summer 2026 Battery packaging mockup in the front compartment.

Approach

Preserve the character.
Improve with intent.

White side-view outline of a classic Porsche 912E on a black background

Design

Keep the character of the car. Design choices should fit within the original car's language and feel like they were meant to be there, with a careful balance between old and new.

Build

Keep the build hands-on and real: mostly by myself, at home, in a one-car garage. Part of the question is whether a thoughtful EV conversion can be done this way.

Learn

Learn from people already doing the work and partner with experts where their experience matters. At the same time, give back by sharing every step with the EV conversion community.

Drive

Driving is the fun part, but it is not the end. The car will give its own feedback on what works and what does not, and that will drive new design iterations for this build and future ones.

Carsten Puls

About

Electrification Enthusiast.
Loves a Challenge.

I started Puls Motors as a San Francisco Bay Area project around hands-on electrification, careful documentation and connection with other people interested in the work.

I'm a mechanical/electrical engineer and lifelong builder. I've spent years working with instrumentation, test and measurement, embedded systems, high-performance computing and software - and just as much time taking things apart, restoring them and making them better. More recently, I've focused that curiosity on restoration and electric conversion of classic cars, exploring different approaches, working hands-on, and learning from people already doing the work.

This is where it all comes together: starting with the 912E-lectric project, documenting what I learn, sharing the process, and connecting with others interested in electrification.

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