REVR’s US$3,200 figure is a future target—not the price of a plug-in hybrid kit you can currently order. The Australian project is developing a bolt-on electric retrofit intended to add battery-powered propulsion to an existing internal-combustion-engine car while leaving much of its original drivetrain in place.
REVR’s US$3,200 figure is a future target—not the price of a plug-in hybrid kit you can currently order. The Australian project is developing a bolt-on electric retrofit intended to add battery-powered propulsion to an existing internal-combustion-engine (ICE) car while leaving much of its original drivetrain in place. Its unusual design uses electric motors mounted at or near the wheel hubs rather than replacing the engine and transmission with a complete EV system.
REVR has shown prototype iterations and attracted recognition from RMIT, but the available evidence does not establish mass production, a retail sales channel, customer deliveries, a US installation network, or EPA and California approval. For now, it is more accurate to view REVR as an ambitious vehicle-electrification project than as a US$3,200 product.
What is REVR?
REVR stands for Rapid Electric Vehicle Retrofit. The project’s stated goal is to convert a light ICE vehicle into a plug-in battery-hybrid vehicle using an independent electric drive system. Rather than removing the original engine and rebuilding the car around a large traction battery, REVR proposes adding electric propulsion hardware to the existing vehicle.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
- Some GM Genuine Parts may have formerly appeared as ACDelco GM Original Equipment (OE)
- Easy Installation
The project’s official materials describe an axial-flux motor that bolts to the wheel or existing wheel-hub assembly, together with a power pack installed inside the vehicle. RMIT coverage identifies Alexander Burton as the designer and describes a broader proposed system using two to four motors, a battery, and control electronics.
That makes the concept different from a conventional EV conversion. A typical full conversion can involve removing the engine, fuel system, exhaust, transmission, and other components before installing a battery pack, inverter, motor, charger, and new controls. REVR’s pitch is to retain most of the original car and add a separate electric system that can operate alongside the combustion engine—or provide electric propulsion with the engine switched off, if the finished system supports the proposed operating modes.
How the proposed retrofit would work
The most distinctive part of REVR is its wheel-mounted motor. New Atlas reported on a custom, flat, liquid-cooled 50-kW motor designed to fit between the wheel and brake disc. The proposed battery pack and motor controllers were described as fitting in the spare-wheel well, with additional electrical modifications where a particular vehicle requires them.
In practical terms, the system would add torque directly at one or more wheels. The original engine could remain available for conventional driving, while the electric system could be plugged in to recharge and used for some trips or for additional acceleration. The 2023 technical reporting described a driver-controlled arrangement in which the electric drive could be enabled independently of starting the engine.
That is the intended architecture, not a verified production-user experience. The exact motor count, battery capacity, mounting hardware, control strategy, braking integration, and vehicle compatibility would have to vary by vehicle unless REVR eventually standardizes the kit around a narrow range of models.
What the V2 prototype has demonstrated
REVR’s project updates list prototype generations designated V0 in 2022, V1 in 2023, and V2 in 2024. In its V2 update, REVR reported nearly 300 Nm of torque at 280 amps under stated bench-test conditions. The update also said the prototype weighed 15 kg and that the result was achieved with a relatively large air gap intended to account for manufacturing issues. REVR projected that a smaller design air gap could produce more torque.
Rank #2
- High density negative paste, improves performance and increases battery life
- Enhanced life alloy or Silver Calcium stamped alloy increases cycle life and improves performance, High density plate oxide provides for maximum power-per-pound and dependable high cycling service
- Calcium Lead positive grid, maximizes conductivity and allows for low resistance
- Robust Envelope Separator with puncture-resistant back, allows for increased acid circulation and prevents shorts. Improved acid circulation, helps the battery to remain cool, and extend battery life
- Vent cap design that resists acid leakage
Those numbers need careful interpretation. They are developer-reported prototype measurements, not independent certification, an independently repeated dynamometer test, or evidence of a completed road vehicle. A motor’s bench torque does not by itself establish acceleration, fuel economy, range, durability, braking performance, handling, or safe operation after installation in a particular car.
RMIT’s reporting shows that the project has moved beyond a purely theoretical sketch and that Burton has discussed turning it into a commercial product. RMIT’s 2024 awards coverage still described REVR as a retrofit-kit design and project, however. The researched material does not confirm that the project has reached general production.
Why the headline price is about US$3,200
The widely quoted figure comes from a proposed target of under A$5,000, converted in reporting to approximately US$3,200. New Atlas described that as an optimistic future price for a fully installed dual-motor kit with a 15-kWh battery. The estimate assumed broad rollout, production efficiencies, and lower material costs than a small prototype project would normally achieve.
RMIT separately reported a target of A$5,000 for a kit intended to convert a vehicle in less than a day. These figures are targets discussed by the project—not a current checkout price, formal quotation, or verified installed price in the United States.
| Claim | What the evidence supports |
|---|---|
| Approximately US$3,200 | A future, optimistic target derived from an A$5,000 proposal |
| Dual-motor, 15-kWh configuration | A reported proposed configuration, not a confirmed retail specification |
| Installation in under a day | A project goal reported by RMIT, not a demonstrated service available to customers |
| Current consumer purchase | Not established by the researched evidence |
It would be premature to calculate a payback period from the US$3,200 figure. There is no independent road-test dataset in the researched material establishing electric range, fuel savings, charging costs, maintenance costs, battery life, or the installed price for a specific vehicle. Those factors would determine whether the retrofit made financial sense for an owner.
The engineering questions behind a wheel-mounted motor
A motor mounted at the wheel can simplify the mechanical connection between the electric motor and the tire, but it also makes the wheel assembly part of the electric drive system. That creates several engineering questions that must be answered for each vehicle platform:
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- High density negative paste, improves performance and increases battery life
- Enhanced life alloy or Silver Calcium stamped alloy increases cycle life and improves performance
- Calcium lead positive grid, maximizes conductivity and allows for low resistance
- Robust envelope separator with puncture resistant back, allows for increased acid circulation and prevents shorts. Improved acid circulation, helps the battery to remain cool, and extend battery life
- Vent cap design that resists acid leakage
- Unsprung mass: Adding a motor near the wheel can increase the mass that the suspension has to control. That may affect ride quality, tire contact, suspension response, and handling.
- Hub, bearing, and suspension loads: The mounting structure must withstand drive torque, braking forces, pothole impacts, cornering loads, and long-term fatigue.
- Brake and wheel clearance: A motor positioned between the wheel and brake disc needs sufficient room and must not compromise brake cooling, service access, steering movement, wheel offset, or tire compatibility.
- Heat management: The reported motor is liquid-cooled. The complete system would need reliable coolant routing, heat rejection, protection from road debris, and safe operation during repeated high-load use.
- Sealing and durability: Components near the wheel face exposure to water, salt, dirt, stones, and temperature changes. Long-term sealing and corrosion resistance would be essential.
- Vehicle controls: The electric system would need to coordinate with the accelerator, brakes, traction control, stability control, warning systems, and fail-safe modes of a vehicle that was not originally designed for it.
- Crash and battery safety: The battery, high-voltage wiring, disconnects, charging equipment, and protective enclosures would require vehicle-specific validation.
These are design and validation considerations, not documented REVR failures. The available sources establish the basic wheel-area architecture but do not provide an independent engineering validation report showing that the system has resolved every issue across multiple production vehicles.
Would a REVR conversion be legal in the US?
Not automatically. A bolt-on design is not automatically street legal merely because it does not remove the original engine.
The US Environmental Protection Agency explains that manufacturers of aftermarket alternative-fuel conversion systems must demonstrate compliance with applicable vehicle and engine emissions requirements. The Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center likewise treats aftermarket vehicle conversions as modifications that enable an existing vehicle or engine to operate with a different fuel or power source.
An electric-assist retrofit can therefore raise more than mechanical questions. A US deployment could require documentation and testing covering emissions-related equipment, onboard diagnostics, charging and high-voltage safety, electromagnetic compatibility, braking, lighting, labeling, and other vehicle requirements. The exact obligations would depend on the vehicle, model year, system design, and jurisdiction.
California adds another layer through its aftermarket alternative-fuel retrofit-system framework. California rules and procedures can affect whether a conversion may be registered or operated there, and other states may impose their own inspection or registration requirements.
Anyone considering a future conversion should consult an automotive electrification specialist before buying hardware. If REVR advances toward US deployment, it would also need an alternative-fuel conversion certification pathway—or an equivalent compliance strategy—rather than relying solely on the fact that the original engine remains installed. The existence of those regulatory requirements does not mean REVR has obtained approval; the researched sources do not establish EPA certification, California approval, or a completed US compliance pathway for REVR.
Rank #4
- Fast Starting Power: This 12V 55Ah 650 CCA delivers strong, steady starts is ready for any weather in any season.
- Made to Last: With its 100-minute Reserve Capacity supports longer run times and a longer overall battery lifespan.
- All Power, No Mess AGM Design: Sealed and spill-proof, the MM-G35 is built with high discharge output and deep discharge recovery to keep power steady when it counts.
- Strength That Starts on the Inside: The rugged construction resists shock, vibration, and harsh conditions, delivering reliable performance across a wide range of temperatures and tough environments.
- Tested Tough & Certified Safe: Mighty Max batteries are built in an ISO-certified facility and meet CE standards for quality, safety, and reliability
Can you buy the REVR kit now?
There is no verified evidence in the researched material that consumers can currently order a REVR kit. REVR’s official site documents the project and invites people to follow its progress, but it does not establish a standard retail catalog, public checkout process, authorized installer network, or confirmed customer-delivery program.
That also means the project should not be confused with a product listing on Amazon or another marketplace. Searches for an exact REVR listing did not identify a genuine automobile retrofit kit. Some adjacent marketplace results involve batteries or conversion parts for electric bicycles, but those are not REVR components and are not appropriate substitutes for a vehicle-specific system.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Do not attempt to assemble a REVR-style system from a generic battery, universal wheel motor, ebike kit, or unrelated EV-conversion part. Battery voltage, current capability, motor-controller compatibility, mounting geometry, braking, crash protection, thermal management, and legal compliance all have to match the vehicle and the complete system.
What would need to happen before this becomes a real product?
- Complete vehicle testing: The system would need repeatable testing in representative production vehicles, not only bench measurements.
- Durability validation: Motors, mounts, bearings, cooling systems, wiring, battery packs, and controllers would need testing over rough roads, weather exposure, temperature extremes, and repeated charging and load cycles.
- Safety integration: Braking, traction control, stability control, high-voltage isolation, emergency shutdown, and crash behavior would need to be validated.
- Regulatory approval: The developers would need a clear compliance route for each target market, including applicable US federal and state requirements.
- Vehicle coverage: A practical product would need published compatibility information, installation instructions, replacement parts, diagnostics, warranty terms, and trained installers.
- Production economics: The A$5,000 target would have to survive real-world battery, motor, electronics, labor, shipping, certification, support, and warranty costs.
Until those steps are documented, the price and installation-time claims should be read as commercialization goals rather than promises to buyers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.REVR compared with a full EV conversion
| REVR’s proposed approach | Traditional full EV conversion | |
|---|---|---|
| Original engine | Intended to remain in the vehicle | Often removed or permanently disabled |
| Electric drive | Separate wheel-mounted motors | Usually a motor connected to the original transmission or driveline |
| Vehicle modification | Designed to be largely bolt-on | Often requires substantial mechanical and electrical fabrication |
| Main claimed benefit | Faster, simpler hybridization of an existing car | Full replacement of combustion propulsion with electric drive |
| Key uncertainty | Wheel integration, controls, safety, and certification | Battery packaging, driveline engineering, range, and certification |
REVR’s potential advantage is not that it eliminates engineering work. Its promise is that it could reduce the amount of vehicle rebuilding needed to add electric propulsion. Whether it actually delivers a faster or less expensive conversion will depend on the final design and the number of vehicle models it can support.
The verdict on the US$3,200 REVR claim
REVR is a notable attempt to make hybridization of existing ICE vehicles more accessible. Its wheel-motor architecture, prototype updates, and ambition to install a kit in less than a day address a genuine problem: many older cars remain usable, but replacing them with new hybrids or EVs is expensive.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best Value
- Battery dimensions --- BCI Group size 140R(H4 LN1), 8.15 x 6.89 x 7.48 inches, Terminal Layout: Left: - Right: +. Battery dimensions, cold cranking amps, terminal location and battery type are key factors in getting the right unit. Please measure your old battery and compare the size with this battery, if the measurements are the same, the positive and negative positions are the same, there is not much difference in CCA and it will fit your vehicle.
- DESIGNED FOR VEHICLES WITH START-STOP --- International standard size BCI Group 140R, easy to install.Ideal for vehicles with large electrical loads (DVD players, navigation systems, heated seats, power doors, etc.), vehicles used for frequent short trips or in stop-n-go traffic and vehicles that sit unused for days or weeks at a time.
- 4 TIMES EXTRA CYCLING --- High density negative paste and Enhanced life alloy or Silver Calcium stamped alloy. Uplus Start and Stop AGM battery has 4 times extra cycle life compared to standard conventional batteries.
- DEEP-CYCLE AND CRANKING POWER --- Calcium lead positive grid, maximizes conductivity and allows for low resistance.Highest cold cranking amperes (570CCA) for engine starts, even reliable during cold winter temperatures.
- TOP-LEVEL SAFETY --- 15 times more vibration-resistant.Vent cap design that resists acid leakage.Top-level safety features and absolutely no free acid.Original Spare Parts ensure the replacement battery has the same quality as the original one.
Still, the available evidence supports a cautious conclusion. REVR has shown continuing prototype development and has discussed commercializing the concept, but the approximately US$3,200 figure is an eventual target based on optimistic assumptions. It is not a verified retail price. There is no confirmed consumer ordering channel, no documented public installation network, and no evidence in the researched sources that REVR has completed US federal or California approval.
For readers, the correct takeaway is simple: REVR may become an interesting low-cost retrofit technology, but it is not currently a plug-in hybrid kit that you can safely buy and install in an ICE car for US$3,200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the REVR retrofit currently cost US$3,200?
No. The approximately US$3,200 figure comes from a proposed future target of under A$5,000. It is not a verified current retail or installed price.
Can you buy a REVR kit now?
The researched evidence does not establish a public retail ordering channel, customer deliveries, or a confirmed US installation network. REVR remains best described as a prototype-stage project.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Would a REVR conversion be street legal in the United States?
Not automatically. US aftermarket conversions can involve federal emissions requirements as well as state-specific rules, including California’s retrofit framework. The available evidence does not show that REVR has obtained EPA or California approval.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: REVR’s US$3,200 number describes an ambitious future target for a proposed bolt-on hybrid retrofit, not a current retail product. The project has progressed through prototypes, but availability, independent road validation, production pricing, and US regulatory approval remain unverified.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
