EV conversion costs, mid-2026: component prices are down. Here's the breakdown.

The Warp 9 at $4,650 is the number that changes everything for budget builders. I recommended DC to someone last year based on old pricing — I have to go back and correct that advice. When your motor alone costs $4,650 before you add the controller, the cost gap with AC induction disappears entirely. The article is right that the economic case for DC over AC has largely collapsed.

The Tesla LDU section is what I've been waiting for someone to document properly. $5,000–$8,000 for a complete Model S LDU crate package from EV West delivering 200–375 kW peak — that's a fundamentally different tier than anything purpose-built at that power level. The BMS-CAN integration requirement is real work, but for experienced builders the $/kW is unmatched. Glad the article calls out that it's not a beginner route.

Higher-capacity cells (314Ah Sunwoda at $42–55/cell) being cheaper per kWh than the legacy 280Ah format is the battery takeaway I'm acting on. I've been quoting 280Ah to people for two years but if the 314Ah cells are at the same or lower per-cell price, the 16S2P pack gets you more usable capacity for less. Going to update my BOM spreadsheet.