EV Conversion California-How to legally register your EV swap

January 15, 2022

1250

So you have completed your EV Conversion and you are ready to enjoy all of your hard work. Another benefit is not having to smog your vehicle any longer. Here is everything you need to know.

Any vehicle registered in California may be converted to a 100% electric drive. As long as all power is supplied by onboard batteries. All combustion and fuel system components must be removed prior to inspection by a California Bureau of Automotive Repairs Referee station. The vehicle must arrive at the inspection site under its own power, and the referee will also visually inspect it to ensure that the vehicle has adequate battery storage capacity for 100% electric operation. Once the inspection is complete, the referee will sign a DMV “statements of Facts” form so that the vehicle can be registered as an EV and removed from the period smog inspection program. The statement of fact form is returned to the California department of motor vehicles. To schedule an appointment with the California Bureau of Automotive Repairs Referee station, please call (800) 622-7733

If you have converted an ICE to an EV, and you wish to register the swap with the state. You will need to follow these steps:

1) Make an appointment with BAR (http://www.bar.ca.gov/) for an inspection. They will take a look to make sure that the gasoline motor and its components have been completely removed, and fill out a form.

2) Make three copies of that form.

3) Make an appointment with the DMV (http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/home/dmv.htm) to change your registration. This will require two clerks – one in your local office and one in Sacramento. Only the clerk in Sacramento can change your registration to E (make sure it is not Q).

Depending on whether or not smog inspections are required for the old donor vehicle, and possibly if the smog place you use has a sense of humor or not.

If no smog is required on the donor, then just change it, and consider it a motor swap.
If smog is required, then if the smog shop will bootleg a cert (obviously it would be very clean) still consider it a motor swap and do nothing.

Finally, get the appropriate documentation from the local DMV office for a conversion {never talk to anyone less than supervisor level) and get it inspected by the proper official. {Should be at that DMV office, but could be also CHP) and have them note all the ICE components are removed on your docs so it can’t be reconverted back to ICE. The DMV will then re-issue the registration with the proper body style code “electric” and VIOLA you are good to go. unless the car is currently registered, with current tags, the car will have to be trailered to the inspection places/DMV to be legal. On a good day it should just take one pass, and a couple of hours.