Can't believe I had to scroll for this. Trust the OEMs to do something very close to what enthusiasts might want, then immediately torpedo it with "but we won't sell it to you."
This level of conversion isn't exactly trivial but it also isn't rocket surgery for the kind of person who pulls an engine out for rebuild on a classic car project.
>This level of conversion isn't exactly trivial but it also isn't rocket surgery for the kind of person who pulls an engine out for rebuild on a classic car project.
If you saw the "quality" of electrical work otherwise very smart car enthusiasts do you might think otherwise.
Also look at the "DRM" controls:
"
Q. Can I increase horsepower?
a. The first-ever Chevy eCrate conversion kit has a locked system that does not allow you to increase horsepower at this time.
"
... so you're buying into a locked, digital control system, akin to what John Deere puts out.
This ranks right up there with BMW wanting to charge a monthly fee for heated seats - building in physical abilities, with digital lockouts. You know, you can buy a LS engine, and do whatever horsepower changes you want to it. For those more akin to computers than cars, this is called a "LS swap" and is common with restomods.
This is disappointing to hear and tarnishes a brand like Chevy. Fortunately, we're in a free market; I'll vote with my dollars.
Modern gas crate powertrain swaps which include engine management usually have the same restrictions; GM Connect and Cruise, Hellcrate, Ford Performance, etc. What you’re describing with LS swaps is unique to kits that come with no engine management; it would be as though this kit were sold with no inverter and motor controller. Of course, reverse engineered aftermarket tuning is more readily available for gas ECUs, but that’s just a matter of market forces, not the OEMs.
This level of conversion isn't exactly trivial but it also isn't rocket surgery for the kind of person who pulls an engine out for rebuild on a classic car project.