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Engineer and YouTuber Michael Pick converted a BMW i3 REX into a small electric pickup by removing its rear bodywork and building a cargo bed. The Drive reports the project came in a couple of thousand dollars below Pick’s $10,000 budget, but its performance, roadworthiness and long-term durability are not detailed in the source.
Engineer and YouTuber Michael Pick converted a BMW i3 REX into a small pickup, cutting away the car’s rear bodywork and adding an open cargo bed. The Drive reports that Pick kept the project a couple of thousand dollars below his $10,000 budget, offering one example of a low-cost, highly customized electric utility vehicle rather than a production alternative to the Slate.
Pick bought a damaged, high-mileage i3 from an auction without seeing it first, according to The Drive’s report. The i3 REX has a gasoline engine that serves as a range extender, positioned beneath the area where the rear seats would normally be. That layout shaped the conversion: the new bed had to be removable to allow access to the engine for service.
The pickup’s structure combines a steel frame with a plywood bed, which Pick sealed with epoxy and finished with bedliner. He also applied waterproofing sealant around seams and coated cut sections of the i3’s carbon-fiber monocoque in epoxy. The Drive notes that exposed carbon fiber needs protection, making the treatment part of the build rather than a cosmetic detail.
Much of the original vehicle remained in place. The report says Pick retained components because the BMW’s electronics depended on them; removing items such as locks, taillights or data connections could have required difficult software changes. Pick’s final cost was below his target, even after expenses including a replacement windshield and a larger-display head unit, though the report does not provide a full itemized budget.
A DIY Route to Electric Utility
The conversion shows how a builder can repurpose a used electric car into a utility vehicle without developing a new platform. It also highlights the engineering trade-offs behind a one-off build: Pick had to preserve electronic systems, protect the cut carbon-fiber structure and keep the bed removable for access to the range extender.
The Drive frames the project as an alternative to waiting for the Slate, a planned small electric truck. Its comparison is the outlet’s assessment, not a standardized price or feature comparison: the source gives no Slate purchase price, equipment list or direct performance test. Pick’s build is a personal project, and its cost does not establish what a similar conversion would cost for another owner.
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Why Pick Started With an i3
The BMW i3 is a compact electric hatchback that went on sale in 2014. Its passenger-cell structure uses carbon fiber, an unusual material for a mass-market car, while the REX version adds a small gasoline engine to extend driving range. The original report describes the model as having limited success in North America, where compact cars have faced a market less receptive to small vehicle formats.
Pick’s stated goal, as recounted by The Drive, was to make an inexpensive electric truck for himself. Rather than wait for the Slate’s planned launch, he chose an auction i3 and modified it. The resulting pickup retains much of the original car, so it is best understood as a custom conversion of a used vehicle, not a factory-built BMW truck or a Slate production model.
“Pick wanted a cheap electric truck for himself.”
— The Drive, reporting on Michael Pick’s project
Build Costs and Road Use
The report does not provide a complete cost breakdown, the vehicle’s range after conversion, payload capacity, crash performance or results from long-term testing. It also does not establish whether the modified vehicle has been inspected or certified for road use in any particular jurisdiction. The stated budget is specific to Pick’s project and should not be treated as a typical conversion price.
Although the source describes the build as looking clean and durable, that is an assessment of its appearance, not evidence of durability under sustained use. It is also unclear how the changes affect the i3’s handling, safety systems or resale value. No direct, like-for-like test against a Slate vehicle is provided.
Whether the Truck Holds Up
The next useful milestones would be more information from Pick about the truck’s operation, range, carrying capacity and maintenance needs, along with any further details about its road approval. The source does not announce a production plan or commercial offering for the conversion; it describes a single personal build.
Readers comparing it with the Slate will need verified pricing, specifications and availability for that vehicle, as well as a clearer accounting of Pick’s total costs. Until then, the i3 pickup is evidence that one builder completed a sub-$10,000 conversion, not proof that the design is a practical or repeatable alternative for buyers.
Key Questions
Who built the BMW i3 pickup?
Michael Pick, an engineer and YouTuber, built the pickup from an auction-sourced BMW i3 REX, according to The Drive.
How much did the conversion cost?
The Drive reports that Pick aimed to spend less than $10,000 and finished a couple of thousand dollars under that cap. The report does not include a full itemized budget.
How was the pickup bed made?
The bed uses plywood attached through a steel frame, with epoxy sealing and a bedliner finish. It was made removable to allow service access to the i3 REX’s range-extender engine.
Is this a production alternative to the Slate?
No. The report describes a one-off personal conversion and does not establish that it is being sold or produced for customers. It also offers no direct specification or performance comparison with the Slate.
Source: rss
