An electric version of a beloved vintage Jeep shows how easy converting your old gas guzzler could soon be

• The Jeep CJ Surge concept previews a future electric-vehicle kit for do-it-yourself projects.
• Stellantis, Jeep's parent company, is working on an EV kit specifically for enthusiasts who want to electrify classic Jeeps.
• The CJ Surge has 268 horsepower and four-wheel drive.

Electrifying classic cars has become big business. Now Jeep wants in on the action.

The American brand's parent company, Stellantis, brought a battery-powered version of the classic Jeep CJ to this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas. The CJ Surge concept melds old-school looks with modern technology, showcasing the possibilities of an electric-vehicle conversion kit for vintage Jeeps.

Stellantis is thinking about selling an EV motor kit that lets enthusiasts "convert classic and current cars and trucks into zero-emission vehicles," it said in a Monday press release. The CJ project, from Mopar, the parts and accessories division of Stellantis, was developed to give engineers and designers a better idea of what that kit could and should look like, Stellantis said.

A predecessor to Jeep's popular Wrangler SUV, the CJ was produced from 1944-1986. The CJ Surge concept brings the famed 4x4 into the 21st century.

It features a 200-kilowatt (268-horsepower) electric motor that supplies power to all four wheels. Twenty-four lithium-ion battery modules are housed in a custom shell in the Jeep's rear. The CJ Surge has two gears, which is unusual for EVs.

Inside, the CJ Surge has a rotary gear selector and a gauge that shows the vehicle's battery level. Stellantis didn't share the CJ Surge's total estimated range.

For years, people have modernized vintage rides by ripping out their dirty gas engines and sticking in clean, quiet, electric powertrains. They've often used old Tesla motors and batteries.

Now as carmakers around the world work on electrifying their lineups, they see electric restomodding as another revenue source. In 2021, Ford launched the Eluminator, an electric motor for do-it-yourself EV projects. General Motors is working on a similar product for its Chevrolet Performance arm.