An unusual electric conversion of a 1997 Ford Ranger Splash has surfaced on Bring a Trailer, offering buyers a flareside compact pickup running entirely on battery power with no reserve on the listing.
The sporty small truck retains its original Canary Yellow exterior paint, but the factory 3.0-liter V6—which originally produced roughly 140 horsepower—has been pulled out. In its place sits an Electric Vehicles of America conversion featuring an Advanced D.C. Motors FB1-4001A electric motor. The replacement power unit outputs between 18 and 30 horsepower, sending drive through the truck’s retained five-speed manual transmission. Operating instructions taped to the dash explain that the setup uses no clutch; drivers simply select a low gear to pull away and shift gears to match vehicle speed.
Energy is stored across a series-wired bank of 20 Trojan six-volt batteries that deliver the 120 volts required by the motor and its Curtis controller. The battery array is divided among three zones: inside the truck bed, between the frame rails, and under the hood. The charging system also sits beneath the hood, requiring owners to plug directly into a standard household wall outlet without any modern fast-charging functionality.
Range is modest by modern standards. Electric Vehicles of America originally projected between 38 and 81 miles per charge, yielding a 53-mile average on fresh batteries, though the installed pack is not new. Inside, the cabin features dedicated auxiliary gauges monitoring voltage, amperage, and battery status, plus a warning light for motor temperature and a manual control switch for a 1,500-watt electric cabin heater.
While the truck displays wear that includes body dings and a damaged headliner, the sale includes build documentation, with bidding sitting at just $300 at the time of reporting.
Source: jalopnik.com
