TRANSPORT
RemetzCar's Zero-Emissions Tesla Funeral Hearse
Hearses were originally horse-drawn carriages, but have always kept up with the times.
14 October, 2016
As automobiles, funeral hearses are central to modern mourning—and, it turns out, pop culture.
Peter Townshend, the frontman of the British rock band The Who, describes writing the lyrics to "My Generation" because he was angry. The hearse he owned, a 1935 Packard, was towed at the Queen Mother's request when he lived near Buckingham Palace 50 years ago, prompting the young Townshend to write his iconic "Hope I die before I get old" lyric.
While Townshend didn't get his wish, hearses have come a long way since his 1935 Packard was towed. New generations will uses hearses imagined by, among others, Tesla.
While Townshend didn't get his wish, hearses have come a long way since his 1935 Packard was towed. New generations will uses hearses imagined by, among others, Tesla.
Tesla itself has not come out with a hearse, but the Dutch companies Van der Lans & Busscher BV (a funeral transportation company) and RemetzCar (a stretch limousine maker) have specially modified a Tesla Model S to offer an electric, emissions-free last ride. RemetzCar started with the all-aluminium Tesla, sawed the body in half, and took around eight months to complete the project. The hearse took its turn in the spotlight at September's Funeral Exhibition in Gorinchem in the Netherlands.
The inspiration behind the RemetzCar project did not come from Van der Lans & Busscher taking the whole "Fit for the Future" convention theme a little too seriously. Rather, the modified Tesla Model S is an environmentally conscious fit for a market niche that most people don't necessarily think about until they need to. The company's claim to building the first Tesla hearse seems accurate, as Elektrek points out, although creating a different Tesla limo has also been tried.
The inspiration behind the RemetzCar project did not come from Van der Lans & Busscher taking the whole "Fit for the Future" convention theme a little too seriously. Rather, the modified Tesla Model S is an environmentally conscious fit for a market niche that most people don't necessarily think about until they need to. The company's claim to building the first Tesla hearse seems accurate, as Elektrek points out, although creating a different Tesla limo has also been tried.
Image: Remetz Car
The RemetzCar designers usually create executive cars and special purpose vehicles, so they were ready for this unique challenge. First, they disconnected the lithium ion battery that is located underneath the vehicle in a Tesla Model S. The Tesla battery is protected by ballistics-grade aluminium and a titanium shield.
That cleared the way for sawing the aluminium body in half. Next, RemetzCar stretched the Tesla by 80 cm, extending it to 5.8 meters. The re-engineered Tesla remained faithful to the original design, keeping the elegant lines, and finishes the interior décor to keep the experience classy. The company assures its customers they can choose "a stylish, environmentally conscious, and silent farewell." The Tesla hearse can accommodate a long silence too, with a procession range of nearly 350 kilometers.
That cleared the way for sawing the aluminium body in half. Next, RemetzCar stretched the Tesla by 80 cm, extending it to 5.8 meters. The re-engineered Tesla remained faithful to the original design, keeping the elegant lines, and finishes the interior décor to keep the experience classy. The company assures its customers they can choose "a stylish, environmentally conscious, and silent farewell." The Tesla hearse can accommodate a long silence too, with a procession range of nearly 350 kilometers.
Another feature that sets the Tesla hearse apart from traditional models (like Townshend's 1935 Packard) is the amount of glass in the coffin cabin compartment. An all-glass treatment from the driver's seat on back creates a lot of visibility. While that may be appealing in the showroom, it might not endear the modified Tesla as readily to the recently bereaved. Presumably, more discreet window treatments will be used when the Tesla hearse hits the road.
Image: 95 Octane
Of course, there have been a plenty of jokes about the Tesla's self-driving autopilot feature. As Sebastian Blanco at Autoblog points out, the visual impact of your hearse pulling up without a driver makes a spectacularly spooky statement. "If there's ever a car ride in which you don't have a lot of control over what you're riding in, it's your last one in a hearse," Blanco says, laying out his compelling argument for why Autopilot is the most appropriate choice for a passenger's final ride to their final resting place.
While autopilot would indeed cause a big sensation, RemetzCar has no immediate plans to promote it. They do, however, have plans to build on the buzz surrounding the final-farewell, zero-emission Tesla. You may see more Tesla hearses soon, though hopefully not too soon.
While autopilot would indeed cause a big sensation, RemetzCar has no immediate plans to promote it. They do, however, have plans to build on the buzz surrounding the final-farewell, zero-emission Tesla. You may see more Tesla hearses soon, though hopefully not too soon.
Banner image: Tesla