YouTube is replete with amazing tales to tell through its many channels. One of them is Garage 54 that hails from the Russian city of Novosibirsk in Siberia.
Garage 54 recently posted a video of a modified Lada powered by electric drills, so technically it’s electric-powered.
The video has recorded 600,618 views since Jan 26, 2025.
It showcases a Lada running on a bundle of 50 cordless drills. The team cut the car’s roof for a sleeker look and stretched the front to fit an improvised motor. Each drill keeps its own battery, all wired together in a simplified circuit instead of using expensive components like optocouplers. Early trials in their workshop produced intense sparks and melted tape, prompting heavier wiring upgrades.
Such a feat can only come from these inventive builders, who previously created a V16 chainsaw-powered Lada. Extensive changes were needed this time, including reinforced mounts and tensioners to prevent belt slip. The final engine resembles a radial aircraft motor, each drill contributing torque to a single driveshaft connected to a manual gearbox.
After fine-tuning, the car drove indoors but quickly overheated its wiring. Once the connections were strengthened, it rolled outside in -30°C conditions. Despite the freezing weather, battery performance held steady, though the top speed stayed modest due to belt slipping and friction losses.
Garage 54’s calculations suggest each drill can deliver up to 22Nm of torque on its second-speed setting, potentially exceeding 1,000Nm in total output. In practice, mechanical inefficiencies reduced overall performance.
Still, the drill-powered Lada proved it could move under its own power. With more testing and refinements planned, the builders aim to see how far this unusual electric-like conversion can be pushed.
Avtovaz is the company behind Lada. It doesn’t have an electric car yet but it has presented prototype and concept EV projects in recent years such as the “e-Largus” concept in 2022, which is the electric counterpart of the Lada Largus.
