‘I will do this to make you proud’: B.C. man converts Rolls-Royce into electric vehicle

Richmond, B.C. business owner Vincent Yu has always had a love for cars.

His passion took an unexpected turn four years ago, however, when his daughter told him about climate change and the impact of polluting, gas-powered vehicles.

Gloria Yu said she also had a few thoughts about her father’s plan to buy a new Rolls-Royce.

“He was telling me how great it is and how it takes a lot of horse power and gas, and I was like, but aren’t you going to pollute the Earth with this, even more than a regular car?” she told Global News.

Yu still bought the luxury ride, but Gloria said she refused to tag along in the passenger seat.

That prompted Yu to change the way he thought about climate-polluting gas-powered vehicles, she explained. The innovative engineer then embarked on a mission to turn his Rolls-Royce into an electric vehicle.

“I guess something just clicked in his head,” said Gloria. “As time went on he was like, I will do this to make you proud.”

Yu studied EV car batteries and found parts to replicate the technology. It was a costly and laborious undertaking, he said in an interview.

“Very, very difficult,” he said from his garage.

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Gloria said she and her mom moved out of the house for a year because it was stressful when Yu couldn’t get the engine to work. After four years, in the fall of 2021, he found success.

“One day he just gave us a text saying, ‘Oh I’ve done it!’ And we’re like, ‘Done what?’ And he said, ‘I’ve converted the car,'” said Gloria.

Gloria and her mom moved back home.

Now, Yu said he is planning to convert another Rolls-Royce into an EV, while in process of launching his brand new business, Mars Power, that will transform other gas-fuelled cars into EVs.

“I’m very, very happy. Very very happy,” he told Global News.

Gloria said she has no problem cruising in the passenger seat with her father now.

“You like it?” Yu asked from behind the wheel as the two took on Friday.

“I do like it,” Gloria responded. “I’m very proud of you.”