The battery is a single pack of VW MEB modules mounted centrally beneath the load floor. Keeping the heaviest
component low and between the axles gives the van a low centre of gravity and keeps mass away from both ends,
which matters in a vehicle originally designed to carry its load over the rear axle.
Drive comes from a Tesla Model 3 Performance rear drive unit, installed at the front of the van on the original
Ford subframe, which has been strengthened and given dedicated motor supports. Phase one targets in excess of
400hp. Putting that much power through the front wheels alone is a real traction challenge, and that is exactly
what phase two is designed to solve.
Phase two adds a second Model 3 Performance drive unit at the rear, making the Escort all wheel drive. The main
gain is traction rather than outright power, putting the available torque down through four tyres instead of two,
although a little more power won't hurt. The high voltage system, contactors and fusing are being specified for
the dual motor configuration from the outset, so the upgrade is an addition rather than a rebuild.
