V8-Powered Tesla Model S Has Maiden Engine Start, Combustion Escapes Cylinders 10 May 2021, 13:01 UTC · by 10 photos Surprising a lot of people and probably angering a large part of Tesla's faithful, Rich decided to put a General Motors V8 engine under the hood of a Tesla Model S. The obvious answer to the most obvious question regarding his undertaking ("why?") is because nobody has done it before and because it's going to be lots of fun when it's done. People will argue it's a little backwards to turn an electric vehicle into a classic ICE car, especially when most (if not all) conversions involving the two types of propulsion tend to go the other way around, but Rich hasn't built a name for himself on YouTube by playing by the rules. You can do what everybody else does and hope your work stands out, or you can carve a different path for yourself and enjoy the life of a trailblazer.