HST International and Tjaarda Design have announced a new partnership that they say will "change the face of electric cars." Actually, what's going on here is that the partnership is changing whats under the hood of two iconic vehicles, the Mustang and the Shelby Cobra. As we learned when we spoke with Michael Kadie and Ed Monfort late last year, these conversions aren't going to be cheap, but the Tjaarda EVX Mustang and the HST Shelby Cobra EVX will certainly turn heads. The vehicles will be on display this weekend at the 34th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach's "Green Power Prix-View" (Prix-View. Get it?) and can now be ordered from HST.

These lithium ion phosphate-loving EVs can both do 0-60 in under four seconds and go over 100 miles per charge (when you're light on the pedal most of the time, I'm guessing) with an operating cost of just three cents a mile. But who's counting when you spend $80,000 (Mustang) or $125,000 (Cobra) on the car in the first place? More details after the break.

For me, one of the true highlights of the EVS23 showroom floor was a booth that featured two cars that never make the pages of AutoblogGreen: a new Mustang and a classic Shelby Cobra 427. But they're fair game when the engines have been taken out and replaced with batteries and electric motors. I made sure to bring you pictures of these cars as soon as I spotted them, but wanted to share the video footage of these cars as well. I first interviewed MIchael Kadie (you might remember him from the Santa Monica Alt Car Expo where he was displaying "2.S.S.I.C.," his all-electric Dodge Daytona and personal favorite. At EVS23, he told us that the electric Cobra runs a close second.

So, what's inside the Shelby? Click play for the info direct from Michael, but the short answer is a 300 kWh electric drive train, similar to Kadie's Daytona. The batteries are 13.8 kWh K2 Energy's lithium ion phosphate batteries, split 50/50 in the front and rear of the vehicle, set up to give the car 300 kW of short-term power (or maybe a little more).
Combine this power with the lightweight, all carbon fiber body, and you've got one hella fast car.

Kadie says that he can guarantee ten converted Shelby 427s for sale next year. While these are expensive - between $125,000 and $130,000 - seven were already spoken for when we talked at the beginning of December. The first one will be ready by Earth Day, the last by Christmas 2008. The cars will have a 110-mile range, which, luckily, is the same as the gas-only range of the original 427.

For more, watch the video. Oh, and the Mustang that we turn to at the end? That video is coming very soon...

Related:

• EVS23: Just try to catch these bad (EV) boys: all-electric Mustang and Shelby Cobra
• Alt Car Expo 2007: Electric car racing with Michael Kadie and 2.S.S.I.C. (VIDEO)