Would you technically call this an EV? Homebrew creation offers 700 lb-ft of torque—and seven horsepower
- Delightfully bonkers YouTube channel Garage 54 linked up 50 power drills to drive a Lada
- And, yeah, the tools actually manage to get the thing moving! Though not very fast
- If this Lada looks familiar, yes, it’s the same one they fitted with a V16 engine made from chainsaws
One of the best corners on YouTube are the channels which build some sort of unholy creation on wheels which not only defies expectations, but also a few laws of physics. The crew at Garage 54 is amongst the best of this gloriously weird bunch, this time converting an old Lada sedan into an EV—powered by 50 cordless drills.
Wait, what?
Yes, you read that correctly. After an epic amount of cutting and fabrication, the team managed to arrange no fewer than 50 cordless power drills in an absurdly long configuration to propel a full-sized Lada, albeit at roughly walking pace. Some sort of Rube Goldberg pulley system was created to pass on the power being generated by these drills, each of which is fuelled by its own little battery just like the ones you’d find on the shelf at Home Depot.
In other words, it’s not like the fabricators used a large EV battery as some sort of energy source. Sparks fly during proof-of-concept tests, a reality which makes for great viewing entertainment but surely gives their insurance company plenty of nightmares. There is also plenty of melted wiring during initial go-arounds. The assemblage is somehow connected to a manual gearbox in order to get power to the ground. And you thought that field-expedient exhaust repair you did to yer old Cavalier Z24 in high school was sketchy.
Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X, Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.