Ruined EV Brings Show Style to the Sunshine State

Ruined EV Brings Street Style and Show Culture to the Sunshine State

At a glance, it could be any high-end car meet in South Florida: sun-bleached tarmac, a skyline painted in gold by the setting sun, and silhouettes of slammed cool rides lining up as spectators gather on the beachside. But then three Teslas roll in, one glistening in a Verde Solaris wrap that flips between gold and lime depending on the light, another sporting a Koenigsegg-inspired wing and splitter that could double as GT car aero, and a third wearing a purple widebody kit so aggressive it looks ripped from a video game. Cameras rise. Heads turn. Welcome to the Florida chapter of Ruined EV, a growing force in the national EV aftermarket modification movement, and a club determined to rewrite the rules of car culture—one bagged electric build at a time.

From Hashtag to Headliner

Ruined started humbly as a hashtag in 2019. Back then, a lowered Tesla on bags was still an anomaly. Fast-forward a few years, and Ruined has transformed from an Instagram tag into a nationwide club with industry clout. The turning point came in 2022, when Ruined brought 13 modified Teslas to the SEMA Show, covering every corner of the convention center from wheel displays to EV-centric halls. The EV aftermarket scene had arrived—with a bang. “We broke bread, helped each other during the event, and became a family,” the club says on its website. Post-SEMA, Ruined rebranded to Ruined EV, signaling a broader vision: to embrace all electric vehicles, not just Teslas, and to push for aftermarket support and innovation. Today, Ruined EV boasts members across Arizona, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, Southern California, New York/New Jersey, and a stronghold right here in Florida.

Jose’s Verde Solaris Long Range: DIY  with Style

When Jose Torres upgraded from his Model 3 to a 2020 Model S Long Range, he knew he didn’t want to blend in. “There are a lot of 3s and Ys in the club, and I just wanted something that stood out a bit,” he says. His choice? A Verde Solaris wrap from KPMF that brings sweet Lamborghini vibes to the EV world. But Jose didn’t stop at a showy wrap. His build features a Maxton Design front lip and rear diffuser, RPM Tesla carbon fiber accents, and an interior laced with matching carbon details. Even the yoke steering wheel is custom, because off-the-shelf just doesn’t cut it when you’re repping Ruined. Notably, Jose installed almost all of it himself. “I wanted to do something different, something personal,” he explains. That ethos carried into his suspension setup, where he added a TK Motorsports dump box to push the car’s air suspension lower than Tesla intended. He has also fitted intuitive lower links to fine-tune ride height, bringing the car just millimeters from the pavement when parked. Custom wheels? Of course.  They were built specifically to honor each Ruined region represented. “The idea was to celebrate the diversity of the club,” Jose says. “And also, well, it looks killer.”

Preston’s Plaid: Koenigsegg-Touched

Next to Jose’s vibrant green S, Preston Davis’ 2021 Model S Plaid plays the dark knight, stealthy, purposeful, and ruthlessly clean. With 1,000+ hp on tap from the factory, performance was never the issue. The build starts with an aggressive custom front splitter, side skirts, and that wing. Not just any wing, either, this one’s from Unplugged Performance in collaboration with Koenigsegg. From the rear, it practically turns the Plaid into a carbon fighter jet. “The wing makes the back end look like I swapped the whole trunk, but it’s just a smart design,” Preston says. The theme continues with red-painted brake calipers, factory Arachnid wheels spaced out 15mm for a perfect flush fit, and trimmed studs to match. Like Jose, Preston taps into the Plaid’s factory air suspension to get that signature Ruined stance. But instead of a dump box, he uses the Tesla service menu to manually drop the car to its lowest setting. “It’s a bit of a hack,” he admits, “but it works, and I like keeping the system clean.”

Inside, he’s taken matte carbon and transformed it into gloss with a layer of PPF. It’s subtle. It’s smart. And it echoes the broader theme of the car: nothing unnecessary, everything refined. “A lot of people still don’t understand what we’re doing here,” Preston says. “They ask, ‘Why would you mod a car that doesn’t have an engine?’ And I tell them, ‘Exactly.’ You start from silence, you build your own voice.”

Will’s Widebody Model 3: “Lowbatt”

If Jose brings color and Preston brings stealth, then William Madayag’s 2021 Model 3 is pure theater. Nicknamed Lowbatt, the car explodes in Porsche Viola Purple Metallic paint, stretched wide by a CMST V2 widebody kit laced with forged carbon overlays. Swan-neck spoiler? Forged carbon. Front lip and diffuser? Forged carbon. Even the roof-mounted ski box sits on custom-forged carbon brackets. “Once I bought the Tesla, I knew it had to be built, not just driven.” Two years and $20,000 later, the result is a widebody, carbon-saturated machine that looks like it spawned from a gaming console. On Air Lift 3H suspension with FlyyAir struts and custom Avant Garde F141 wheels, Lowbatt tucks low when parked, then rises up for speed bumps with the push of a button. The stance is aggressive but daily-driveable, a balance Will was determined to nail.

Inside, the car glows like a galaxy with forged carbon door cards, a starry-fiber headliner, RGB ambient lighting, and even a forged carbon booster seat for Will’s kids. And when the trunk opens, it reveals a custom subwoofer setup that doubles as a mobile DJ booth. “It rides like stock,” Will grins, “but it looks like a show car. That’s the fun of it.”

The Club That Changed the Conversation

Ruined EV represents a philosophical shift in the car club culture, proving that EVs aren’t the soulless future, but instead a blank canvas for a new kind of enthusiast. One that values aesthetics, innovation, and pushing platforms far beyond their factory potential.

In Florida, Ruined EV regularly attends cars and coffee gatherings, EV-specific meets, and other car shows. They’re just as likely to park next to a bagged Audi RS6 as they are a Lucid or Ford Mach-E. Inclusivity is key—as long as it’s electric and bagged, you’ve got a shot. “We’re not just Tesla anymore,” Jose explains. “We’ve got a Ford Mach-E in the club. A few Hyundai Ioniq 5s are on our radar. If it’s electric and modded, we want to see it.” And there’s more to come. The club has its eyes on custom EV classics, collaborations with major parts suppliers, and national events like Electrify Expo. “It’s about presence,” Preston says. “Not just online. In person. In culture.”

How to Join the Ruined EV Movement

Think you’ve got what it takes? Membership starts online— visit ruined.cc and submit your build. If you’re in Florida, you can join the trio mentioned here, along with Jonathan Palacio, Randy Hoover, and more. Just show the mods, share the story, and make your case. The only hard requirements? Be cool and badass. Bags are definitely a bonus but not a must. While stance is foundational to Ruined aesthetic, other cool builds have joined the ranks like Neil Tjin’s off-road Mustang Mach-E. It’s about proportion, poise, and attitude. Lowered or lifted EVs challenge the narrative, as they’re not sterile, silent commuters. They’re loud in a different way. That said, it’s not just about looks. Ruined EV is a family. Members share knowledge, parts, support—and sometimes garage space. They travel for each other. They rep the brand. And they push the envelope for what an EV build can be. Ruined EV isn’t waiting for the culture to catch up to electric. They’re building it—one splitter-scraping, widebody, carbon-laced machine at a time!