Charging an electric vehicle might be a chore. Pit stops take much longer than petrol stations. Furthermore, rapid charging facilities are not as widespread as petrol pumps. Tired of halting to fill up his Tesla on road trips, Matt Mikka, who operates the engineering-focused YouTube channel Warped Perception, devised an unusual solution that is sure to irritate Tesla’s most ardent supporters.
He stuffed a diesel engine into the trunk of his Model S, resulting in a homemade hybrid that he claims can drive more than 1,000 miles without stopping to recharge its battery. “I’m taking on a challenge that many electric car enthusiasts might consider sacrilegious,” Mikka said in a video introducing his design.
The EPA estimates that a standard Model S car can go 405 miles on a single charge. However, at highway velocity, that estimate drops dramatically. “The idea behind this modification is simple,” Mikka explained in the video. “I want to build a Tesla that does not require charging stations and can travel over great distances without stopping—far beyond any other electric vehicle on the road.”
Mikka previously told Insider that he spent years conceptualising, developing, and building the hybrid system. In 2022, he constructed an initial proof of concept, then rebuilt the system from the foundation and finally drove the car approximately 2,700 miles for his most current video. Mikka developed and built all of the components for version two except the engine. “I feel I may have become obsessed, but I had to make it work, and there was nothing whatsoever on the market that would work for my application,” he explained.
The trip wasn’t without bumps owing to overheating issues, but the automobile performed admirably, according to Mikka. The Tesla’s battery was recharged while it was travelling or parked, bypassing the need for traditional charging stops. When the system was at its peak, the Tesla consumed 51 watt-hours of battery juice to drive one mile, giving it a theoretical range of over 1,600 miles, states Mikka in the video.
Depending on Mikka’s estimates, the Tesla hybrid achieved roughly 35 miles per gallon overall. Mikka believes he’s come “pretty close” to creating the ultimate automobile, with the exception of a few minor elements and a painfully noisy engine. “With that continual droning in the background, you either forget about it or want to open the motorway door and leap out… But it took me to my destination.”
Mikka stated that he is almost finished with version three, which he intends to take on another road trip.
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