1957 Chevy Project X Arrives At SEMA With 340-HP EV Powertrain

Chevrolet highlights the Project X from Cagnazzi Racing and Hot Rod magazine that takes a classic 1957 Chevy and adds an electric powertrain making around 340 horsepower (253.5 kilowatts) and  330 pound-feet (447 Newton-meters). The cutting-edge restomod is on display at the SEMA show.

The battery in Project X has a 30-kilowatt-hour capacity and runs at 400 volts. There are no range details, other than that the car can drive far enough for a weekend cruise. The company says the pack “is being evaluated for potential use as a next-generation Chevrolet Performance product.” It is a modular unit where a builder could select the right one depending on the desired range, cost, packaging, and weight.

The differential lets an owner change out the final-drive ratio. A person could select taller gearing for a longer range or a shorter ratio for better acceleration.

Project X no longer has an exhaust, which allows builder Cagnazzi Racing to lower the vehicle by around two inches. A tweaked suspension includes softer front springs and stiffer rear springs because this powertrain has less weight at the front and more at the back than with a combustion engine. The car also gets an electric brake booster and electrohydraulic power steering pump.

Inside, there’s the push-button gear selector from the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette.

Project X has belonged to Hot Rod magazine since 1965. The publication uses the vehicle as a testbed for new tech, like the supercharged LSX V8 in it before this electric powertrain swap.

“As General Motors rolls out its trailblazing EV technology, Chevrolet Performance plans to offer EV propulsion solutions for enthusiasts looking to modernize their project cars,” Prashant Ahire, eCrate regional chief engineer, said about this build.

For last year’s SEMA show, Chevy did a similar build by installing the eCrate electric powertrain into a 1977 K5 Blazer. It made 200 horsepower (149 kilowatts) and 266 lb-ft (361 Newton-meters) of torque and had a 60-kWh battery.