How Current EV Motors Is Electrifying Classics and Fleets

How Rocco Calandruccio and Current EV Motors Are Rethinking Classic Conversions and the Future of Electrified Fleets

Estes Park, Colorado— The air is thin, crisp, and tinged with pine. Parked against a backdrop of mountain ridges, a patient but proudly green 1978 Ford F-150 sits in the wild. Known as Gator, it looks like a clean but unassuming workhorse of another era. But under its hood and down its drivetrain lies something more radical: the first prototype in a patented vision to simplify EV conversions, scale them, and open the door to an aftermarket that needs order, safety, and efficiency.

At the center of it all is Rocco Calandruccio, founder of Current EV Motors—a Texas-based company that isn’t content to just swap motors into old classics. His ambition is to design and deliver patented, bolt-on, reversible EV drive systems for trucks, SUVs, and fleet vehicles—numerous solutions that keep costs under control, simplify installation, and accelerate adoption across both enthusiast and commercial markets. “We wanted to prove that conversions didn’t have to be complicated, one-off science projects,” he explains. “If we could take away the most complex part of a vehicle, the engine and transmission, then we could start scaling EV conversions to the point where they made economic sense.” And Gator was where it all began.

Building Gator: The First Pass

Originally equipped with a 351M V8 making just 130 horsepower on its best day, Gator was never going to be a performance truck. At 6,000 pounds, it was more of a lumbering relic than a canyon carver. But that weight and chassis size made it the perfect testbed. Rocco’s approach was simply to ditch the transmission entirely, keep the original transfer case, and mount a NetGain Hyper 12 motor directly where the transmission used to sit. “We wanted to test direct drive through the transfer case,” Rocco says. “Axial flux motors weren’t affordable or accessible at the time, and gear ratios didn’t make sense. The transfer case gave us a simpler, cheaper way forward.” The result is 150 kW/200 horsepower and 340 Nm, around 250 lb-ft of torque, from a 150-volt low-voltage system, paired with 30 kWh of salvaged Tesla Model S modules mounted under the hood. Range sits at around 80 miles in mixed driving. Enough to prove the concept. Enough to smile at the wheel around Austin, Texas.

Better still, the system was cheap by EV standards. A Thunderstruck charger and BMS, an AmpRevolt integration box, a Bosch pump for the power steering, and a simple DC-DC converter tucked neatly against the firewall. The regenerative braking was so strong that Rocco deleted the brake booster entirely, relying on regen and stock discs up front and drums in the rear.

From behind the wheel, it undoubtedly feels like the truck had been reborn: smooth, torquey, and eager. And crucially, it looks almost unchanged. Even the charging port is hidden behind the fuel filler flap. Inside, the dash stays vintage with a single Teletronics gauge where a tach might have been, enough to track voltage, range, and current. “People love vintage vehicles for the feeling,” Rocco says. “We didn’t want to clutter it with a big screen. We wanted it to feel right.”

Small Packs, Big Ideas

If Gator proved one thing, it was that daily driving doesn’t need 100 kWh. A modest 30 to 60 kWh pack is enough to cover errands, commuting, and most practical use cases, especially for fleet vehicles that never drive more than 80 miles a day. “That was the lightbulb moment,” Rocco recalls. “We realized we didn’t need to compete with Tesla or Rivian on range. We needed to provide affordable, modular systems that made sense for work trucks, classics, and fleets.” This philosophy drove Current EV Motors toward its next chapter: productization.

From One-Offs to Patented Systems

The challenges facing the EV conversion industry are well known: Non-systemic parts cobbled together, safety concerns around salvage modules, endless one-off R&D eating time and money, low-volume supply chains, and high costs that scare off all but wealthy hobbyists. To fix this, Current EV sought patents. Today, the company holds five U.S. and Canadian patents covering direct-drive EV conversions. These patents underpin three distinct architectures. The first is based on an e-axle, a motor integrated with an axle for efficient packaging—ideal for longer wheelbases and OEM-style builds. The second is a center drive setup, making it adaptable for short wheelbase vehicles, retrofits easily with existing axles and supports dual-motor setups, and finally the reuse of the transfer case, allowing conversions to retain gear reduction and 4WD capability—particularly attractive for trucks and off-road builds. All these are bolt-on and fully reversible, meaning no cutting, no welding, and no butchering of sheetmetal. For enthusiasts, that means preserving originality. For fleets, it means faster installs and lower training costs. “These patents give us a pathway to scale,” Rocco explains. “They’re the backbone for semi-universal kits that make conversions investable and repeatable.”

The Monolith

While the Gator F-150 build made smart use of second-life Tesla modules, Current EV Motors knew that salvaged parts weren’t the long-term answer. To scale, systems had to be safe, repeatable, and OEM-grade. That’s where UK-based Fellten came in. In just a few years, Fellten has emerged as a global leader in EV conversion platforms, producing both standardized and model-specific packs. Every system is built from brand-new components: liquid-cooled, OEM modules engineered and packaged specifically for conversion specialists and low-volume manufacturers.

For Current EV, the collaboration with Fellten underpins their flagship platform: the Monolith direct-drive system. Pairing a purpose-built 55 kWh pack with a 150 kW direct-drive rear e-beam, the Monolith delivers a drivetrain rugged enough for fleet trucks yet modular enough for classics. Unlike bulky, multi-layer battery boxes, the Monolith is a slim, liquid-cooled pack, just one module deep, that tucks neatly between ladder-frame rails without compromising ground clearance or cargo space. That packaging means fleets keep full payload capacity, while vintage SUVs and pickups gain balanced weight distribution.

The seed for this idea was planted long before electrification was a buzzword. Back in the early 2000s, CEO Rocco Calandruccio was working in the off-road industry when he recognized a key insight: if you could design a semi-universal energy storage system that fits between a vehicle’s frame rails, and if the axles themselves became the “engines,” then repowering the majority of automobiles on the planet would suddenly become both practical and scalable.

That vision led him to patent the concept, launch Current EV Motors, and, thanks to a network of specialists who shared the mission, bring the Monolith into reality.

What makes the system stand out today is its adaptability. Most trucks, vans, and SUVs can accept the Monolith with only minor bracket adjustments for the battery and rear axle. Once in place, the fully sealed unit bolts directly to the undercarriage, lowering the center of gravity while sending uninterrupted power from the motor to the tires.

The spec sheet tells the rest of the story. The Monolith runs a 350V system with an expandable 55 kWh battery, bidirectional charging, and a fully sealed enclosure that integrates the DC/DC converter, onboard charger, and BMS. Both the pack and motor are liquid-cooled, and charging covers Level 1, Level 2, and CCS fast charging. The base e-beam produces 150 kW (roughly 200 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque) with room to scale, and in a full-size 2WD pickup, drivers can expect around 150 miles of range.

Just as important as the hardware is the business model. Pricing has been structured to remain highly competitive while still leaving strong margins for installers, a deliberate move to encourage wide adoption. Current EV is already taking pre-orders for conversions and installations at its Austin, Texas, facility, with plans to roll out tailored versions for specific 2WD and 4WD platforms.

Developed and manufactured by Fellten in the UK, the Monolith shares its core architecture with the company’s universal UBP55E and the compact UBP55T ‘Small Block’ pack, the latter engineered to slide between front subframes on muscle cars and smaller pickups. Both packs feature OEM-grade thermal management, serviceable safety disconnects, and CAN-based BMS systems for seamless integration with modern chargers and inverters, plus support for CCS and NACS fast charging. “This is where we go from prototype to product,” says Rocco. “Fellten’s packs give us safety, integration, and quality control. They’re designed from the ground up for conversions—not salvaged from wrecked cars. That partnership takes us to the next level.”

Beyond Classics: Fleet Focus

While enthusiasts may drool over a slammed Bronco or a clean F-100 restomod, the bigger picture for Current EV and our industry in general lies in fleets. “The North American market alone has 16 million potential convertible vehicles (light commercial and vintage trucks), 10 million light commercial trucks, and up to 900,000 annual fleet replacements,” says Rocco. Then there’s the 4.2 million Econoline vans produced since 1991; cutaway versions are still in production but with no electrification plan from Ford. 50,000 units sold annually, millions still on the road, and billions spent in trade upfitting. “They’re all potential EV conversion candidates!”

What makes the system stand out today is its adaptability. Most trucks, vans, and SUVs can accept the Monolith with only minor bracket adjustments for the battery and rear axle.

For fleet operators, a semi-universal, bolt-in EV system is a lifeline. Range needs are modest at 50 to 80 miles daily. TCO savings are significant (lower fuel, maintenance, and downtime). And the conversion avoids the full capital expense of replacing entire fleets with new EVs. “Fleets are where scale happens,” Rocco explains. “Universities, municipalities, and delivery operators—they don’t need 400 miles of range. They need reliable, safe, cost-effective solutions. That’s what we’re building.”

Classic Line: Heart Meets Head

Of course, Rocco’s roots remain with vintage vehicles. The company’s Classic Line caters to enthusiasts who want their F-Series, Broncos, and even muscle cars reborn with electric drivetrains. The beauty is that the same patented architecture underpins both worlds: a direct-drive kit for a vintage F-150 isn’t fundamentally different from the one that powers a commercial Econoline. What changes are battery sizing, integration details, and customer intent. “Classic builds are the heart,” Rocco smiles. “They’re emotional. They keep history alive. But the fleet builds—that’s the head. That’s where we make the industry viable.”

Driving Gator, Dreaming Bigger

Back in Estes Park, Gator rolls quietly after a spirited drive. Its battered green paint still glistens, its regen braking humming as we come to a stop. For Rocco, it’s the perfect proof of concept: “Gator was our first pass,” he admits. “But it showed us what was possible. Now, with partners like Fellten and the patents we’ve secured, we’re taking that foundation and building a future.” A future where classic trucks get new leases on life. Where fleets slash operating costs. Where EV conversions stop being fringe science projects and become mainstream business. And it all started with one old Ford, a big idea, and the stubborn belief that EV conversions could be simple, scalable, and sustainable.

Specs

Base Vehicle: 1978 Ford F-150
Motor: NetGain Hyper 12, direct-drive via transfer case
Power: 150 kW/200 hp
Torque: 340 Nm/250 lb-ft
System Voltage: 150V
Battery: 30 kWh Tesla modules (expandable to 60 kWh)
Range: 70–80 miles (single pack), ~100 miles (dual pack)
Charger: Thunderstruck
BMS: Thunderstruck
Integration Box: AmproVolt
Steering: Bosch electric pump
Brakes: Stock discs (front), drums (rear), booster deleted due to regen Current EV Motors at a Glance
Founded: Austin, Texas
Product Lines: Classic Line (vintage trucks & SUVs) and Fleet Line (commercial vans, box trucks, work trucks)
Contact: currentevmotors.com and sales@currentevmotors.com