In a world obsessed with the future, Justin Lunny is rewriting the rules by electrifying the past.
As CEO and co-founder of Everrati, Mr. Lunny is doing what legacy automakers can’t—and what most startups won’t dare: converting iconic classic cars into cutting-edge electric vehicles. But don’t mistake it for a gimmick. Behind Everrati’s sleek, whisper-quiet Porsche 911s and Ford GT40s lies a bold new business model engineered for the uncertain road ahead.
“We didn’t set out to be the next Tesla or Rivian,” Mr. Lunny says. “We took a different view. What if we could create desirable EVs from cars people already love?”
That question launched a company, but it also sparked something more profound: a playbook for surviving—and thriving—in a market where everything is in flux. Everrati is part skunkworks, part luxury brand, and part clean-tech incubator. It builds agility into every decision. It fuses past and future in every car. And it thrives not despite uncertainty, but because of it.
A Niche That Burns Rubber
Mr. Lunny’s journey began with two sparks of inspiration: watching Prince Harry drive an electric Jaguar E-Type to his wedding reception, and a conversation with his seven-year-old daughter about climate change.
“That gave me a true need to do something in clean tech,” he says. “And I realized I could do it in a fun part of clean tech.”
Yet, the early days of Everrati were anything but smooth.
“Entrepreneurs have ideas that other people think are crazy. Selling that concept—to investors, engineers, even friends—was the first challenge.”
What sustained him? Conviction—and his team.
“I’m more of an entrepreneur than a people manager. So I surround myself with brilliant people, many from outside automotive. That’s been critical.”
Therein lies the genius of Mr. Lunny’s approach: Unlike most EV startups chasing scale, Everrati has leaned hard into scarcity. Its bread and butter? Electrified versions of the world’s most iconic cars from Mercedes, Porsche, Ford and Land Rover. These aren’t retrofits. They’re full-blown re-engineering programs, complete with high-performance motors, bespoke software, and obsessive attention to weight distribution, braking systems, and even air conditioning.
“Every model is a new vehicle program,” Mr. Lunny says. “We treat it like a ground-up build.”
And the results are breathtaking. Everrati’s customers aren’t just buying a car; they’re commissioning a one-of-a-kind experience that bridges heritage and high-tech.
“We’re bringing passion and soul back into EVs,” Mr. Lunny says. “There’s a sterility in the EV market right now. We’re proving it doesn’t have to be that way.”
That message is resonating in a market poised to explode. Global EV sales topped 17 million units in 2024. In China, EVs account for 60% of new car sales. In Europe, nearly one in four cars sold is electric. In the U.S., EV adoption is rising fast, supported by tax credits, infrastructure investment, and shifting consumer attitudes.
Moreover, the luxury EV segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of up to 17.8% through 2033, reaching as much as $963.8 billion (USD). Meanwhile, the classic EV conversion market alone could top $20 billion by the same year—a 20% annual surge. These trends are powered by a new kind of buyer: affluent, climate-aware, design-obsessed, and future-focused.
As Mr. Lunny notes, “We are appealing to thought leaders, people who on paper could have anything they like, but actually they’re choosing to commission something that is beautiful, that has history but is now relevant for the future.”
Battery Breakthroughs & Inflection Points
For Everrati, the future of performance, efficiency, and scalability hinges on what may be the most pivotal battery breakthrough yet: lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries. Developed to eliminate cobalt—a material tied to high costs and ethical concerns—LMR promises better performance, lower cost, and greater energy density.
For Mr. Lunny, it’s not just a scientific milestone. It’s a turning point for the entire industry.
“Packaging is everything,” he says. “When you’re working with car architecture, space is gold. So any battery tech that delivers more range and more energy in a smaller footprint is transformative.”
That’s what makes LMR’s potential so compelling. It could unlock 300-mile ranges in Everrati’s vehicles without compromising authenticity or design. And that’s just the beginning.
Inspired by watching Prince Harry depart from his wedding reception in an electric Jaguar, Everrati founder and CEO Justin Lunny set out to redefine classic car culture for the zero-emissions era.
The company’s B2B division (Powered by Everrati) tripled its electrification contracts last year—signing over 200% more agreements with luxury vehicle brands year-over-year.
“In the long term, LMR and next-gen chemistries will cut cost and increase flexibility across the market,” Mr. Lunny explains. “Especially for luxury EVs where packaging and performance are everything.”
Across the board, EV battery innovation is attracting massive capital. GM, for example, is investing billions into LMR technologies, aiming to offer premium range at LFP-level pricing. Globally, governments and private investors are pumping over $20 billion annually into advanced chemistries like solid-state and sodium-ion—all aimed at accelerating performance and bringing down cost.
According to market data, LMR can offer up to 33% more energy density than LFP at similar cost, while nearly eliminating cobalt and reducing nickel content. For Everrati, that could mean smaller, safer, more powerful battery packs that better fit within the compact architecture of classic cars.
“The more energy you can achieve out of any space, the better,” Mr. Lunny emphasizes. “Solid state could be a game-changer down the line, but right now, LMR gives us real, near-term gains.”
Scaling Fast—and Smart
For Everrati’s clientele, owning an electrified classic isn’t just a lifestyle choice—it’s a hedge against obsolescence. As cities across Europe and North America roll out combustion engine bans, manufacturers are facing regulatory headwinds.
“We’re seeing collectors come to us not just because they love the cars, but because they want to be able to drive them in the future,” Mr. Lunny says.
This shift is more than regulatory. It’s cultural. Luxury is no longer defined solely by exclusivity or power—it’s increasingly about values: sustainability, innovation, and meaning.
“Our customers want something beautiful, yes,” he says. “But they also want it to align with their conscience.”
That ethos is embedded into Everrati’s operating model. Every car is engineered to be reversible, preserving the original powertrain for purists. The carbon footprint of conversion is dramatically lower than building a new vehicle from scratch. And by tapping into high-performance components already used in motorsports, Everrati avoids costly and wasteful proprietary systems.
This means that while OEMs race to build EVs at scale, Everrati is taking a different approach.
“The tech we use today is expensive. But it won’t be forever,” Mr. Lunny says. “As costs drop and volumes grow, we’ll be able to offer more accessible vehicles.”
He envisions a future where Everrati powers not just million-dollar commissions, but mid-market conversions and partnerships with other boutique brands.
“Think of us as the Intel Inside of luxury EVs,” Mr. Lunny says. “We’re developing powertrains and control systems that others can build around.”
This flexibility opens up multiple revenue streams: consumer, B2B, and tech licensing. And it positions Everrati as a category-definer, not just a category player.
Meanwhile, the regulatory tailwinds are only getting stronger. From the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act to the EU Green Deal, incentives and mandates are turbocharging EV investment worldwide. By 2030, EVs could make up more than 40% of all global car sales. The luxury segment, once seen as lagging, is now leading with brands like Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Ferrari pledging all-electric lineups within the decade.
Classic EV conversion, once a fringe hobby, is now a $4 billion market projected to quintuple by 2033. Everrati stands at the center of that wave, with buyers willing to pay $500,000+ for an electrified icon that turns heads, honors heritage, and meets tomorrow’s emissions standards.
“We’re not the most expensive option, and that’s intentional,” Mr. Lunny says. “We’re building a brand, not just selling cars.”
Agility as a Business Model
If you ask Mr. Lunny, Everrati doesn’t just build electric cars. It builds resilience.
From day one, Mr. Lunny and his team engineered Everrati’s business model to thrive in a volatile world. The company doesn’t rely on a single battery supplier. It doesn’t lock into rigid specs. Instead, it designs for modularity, interchangeability, and speed.
“We call it an ‘exit route,’” Mr. Lunny says. “If a supplier drops out or a material becomes scarce, we already have a plan B. That’s baked into how we both engineer and source.”
This approach is a strategic response to a fragile global supply chain. The cobalt market is dominated by the Democratic Republic of Congo, while nickel prices remain volatile. Manganese, the linchpin of LMR batteries, is more abundant and less geopolitically fraught. By shifting focus to manganese-rich solutions, Everrati ensures cost control and ethical sourcing.
“You’re not always going to fix every supply issue,” Mr. Lunny adds. “But agility is everything.”
That agility also shows up in the way Everrati approaches partnerships. With Tier 1 suppliers and composite chassis manufacturers, the company co-develops powertrains that can be applied across bespoke conversions and new vehicle platforms.
“We think there’s an opportunity for companies like ours to help OEMs create halo vehicles outside their normal business model,” Mr. Lunny says. “We’re already working with partners on composite and bonded aluminum chassis.”
Culture of Speed, Software & Soul
Mr. Lunny doesn’t come from the automotive world. His background is in finance and software. And, for the benefit of Everrati, it shows.
The company uses agile sprints, rapid prototyping, and modular design—principles borrowed from software development. The company’s vehicle control system is proprietary. Its architecture is open. And its pace? Blistering.
When Everrati decided to build an 800-horsepower electric GT40, industry veterans rolled their eyes. Six weeks later, it was clocking 130 mph on a private runway.
“That just doesn’t happen in traditional automotive timelines,” Mr. Lunny says. “But we did it. That’s the power of an agile team.”
The integration of high-performance silicon carbide inverters and motors sourced from Helix and McLaren Applied Technologies sets Everrati apart. These are the same components found in Formula E racers and hypercars like the Lotus Evija.
“The software we’ve developed in-house is all about making sure the powertrain does what you want it to do,” Mr. Lunny explains. “We can make it feel like a Porsche. We can make it feel like a Mercedes. That control is everything.”
The goal, he adds, isn’t just engineering excellence—it’s emotional resonance.
“We’re preserving the soul of the car, not just the shell. That’s what luxury customers want.”
Fueled by People, Not Just Tech
Mr. Lunny is the first to admit he’s not the most superlative engineer in the room. But he knows how to build a team that delivers.
“It’s about vision, yes. But also about humility,” he says. “You bring in the best people you can and you let them shine.”
That’s why Everrati’s roster includes veterans from McLaren, Lotus, Bentley, and even a former Aston Martin CEO. But Mr. Lunny has also pulled talent from outside the industry. His co-CEO, a former client from Mr. Lunny’s past life, is ex-military. Together, they fuse entrepreneurial creativity with operational discipline.
“We complement each other,” Mr. Lunny says. “And we both understand that leadership today is about speed, alignment, and staying curious.”
That mindset has helped Everrati attract a loyal following among affluent customers who value sustainability as much as performance.
“Some of our clients are people you might never expect,” Mr. Lunny says. “They read about us in Forbes or Robb Report, and suddenly they’re inquiring about a car.”
Rewiring the Rules of Reinvention
In essence, Everrati’s story is not just about electrifying classic cars—it’s about challenging old thinking.
In an era where most companies are still mapping the road ahead, Everrati is proving that agility, purpose, and precision can be more powerful than scale. By reengineering icons, the company has engineered a new model of leadership—one where speed, soul, and sustainability coexist.
“Legacy brands have engineering pedigree. They have brand equity. But they’re not built for speed,” he says. “They need to rethink their architecture, their processes, even their hiring.”
From Mr. Lunny’s perspective, this doesn’t mean legacy brands should always seek to emulate startups. Rather, it means learning from their ability to catalyze agility, modular thinking, and a culture that rewards experimentation.
“The secret isn’t more capital,” Mr. Lunny adds. “It’s conviction. Do you believe in your future? If so, build it with people who can move fast and adapt faster.”
But for many buyers—especially at the high end—an electric future must also be an emotional one. That’s Everrati’s opportunity—and its obligation.
“We’re not just creating cars,” Mr. Lunny says. “We’re creating relevance. For brands. For customers. For a world that’s finally ready to drive into the future—without forgetting where it came from.”
