Tesla and Chevrolet parts help this ‘Model S 2000’ produce 636 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque.
While the Honda S2000 is a fantastic sports car in stock form, it is also a popular subject of engine swaps. Many people insert a V8, often something from General Motors’ LS series, but the YouTuber BigKleib34found an S2000 with one of the electric motor setups from a Tesla Model S, sharing the footage on his Facebook page.
As you might expect, an electric motor that makes a big luxury sedan quick makes the sleek, compact “Model S 2000” even quicker and the video above that was shared by Speed Society shows just how quick.
Tesla S2000
The basis for this car is a 2006 HondaS2000, but all of the factory drivetrain bits are gone courtesy of this unique project by the Quebec-based shop Institut du Véhicule Innovant. Providing the power for this small sports car is a TeslaModel S that has been modified by 057 Technology, delivering 636 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels, between which the electric motor is mounted.
That Tesla engine is fed by a pair of Chevy Volt 18.4x Kilowatt-hour battery packs, featuring charging components from the Chevy Volt and Bolt. It has a set of skinny front wheels and tires, along with a set of fat Hoosier drag radials mounted on 18-inch wheels.
In the video above, we get to watch as the Tesla-powered S2000 project quickly moves from beginning to end. The car is basically stripped down to a chassis with all of the Honda drivetrain bits being removed while the Chevy batteries are mounted up front and the Tesla motor is mounted between the rear wheels.
Finally, a set of form-follows-function wheel flares are bolted up over the big rear tires.
Track Testing
After we watch the electric S2000 come together, the team heads to the drag strip for some real world testing. We get to watch the torque monster do a smoky burnout before staging against an actual Tesla. When the green lights drop, the Honda rips away from the starting line, pinning the driver and passenger to the seats as the 3,000-pound sports car rockets down the track.
On this run, the Tesla-powered Honda got to the 60-foot mark in just 1.547 seconds, covering the first half of the quarter mile in 6.444 seconds with a speed of 106.4 miles per hour. On the big end, the S2000 stops the timers with a 10.243 at 126.3 miles per hour, making this car considerably quicker than your average S2000 and your average Tesla.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
