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Wisconsin startup Hoffman EV showed the Badger, an 11-seat minibus built around hardware from a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y, at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The company says it wants to offer other body styles, including a pickup, but pricing, range, production plans and a firm sales date remain unsettled.
Wisconsin startup Hoffman EV has introduced the Badger, an 11-seat minibus built using components from a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y, at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. The company says the platform could support other vehicle shapes, including a pickup, but has not settled key details such as final pricing, range or a production schedule.
Hoffman says the Badger reuses the donor Tesla’s seats, dashboard, steering wheel, motors and door handles, along with its hardware and software. Those components are fitted into a new chassis, with the high-voltage battery positioned about 1.5 inches higher than in the original Model 3 or Model Y. The vehicle has eight inches of ground clearance, which the company says improves its breakover angle for rougher roads.
The displayed minibus has removable doors, roof and most seats. Hoffman says the vehicle is titled as an 11-seat bus. Its structure and body parts are made from powder-coated aluminum, and the company says the new materials are recycled apart from some small 3D-printed parts. The source report says the prototype drove from the company’s Wisconsin base to SEMA and used Tesla Superchargers along the way.
Hoffman EV says it could offer the Badger as a completed vehicle with a customer-selected body, or as a kit with a VIN. Kit buyers would need to provide a donor Model 3 or Model Y. The startup estimates it could build about 100 vehicles a year, but says its plans are not yet firm. It has also not published an estimated driving range.
A New Route for Used Teslas
The Badger proposes a different way to reuse Tesla vehicles: retain their electric drivetrain and cabin components while replacing the body with a new, more specialized design. If the company can make the approach practical, it could appeal to buyers seeking a people carrier or work vehicle without commissioning a fully bespoke electric platform. For owners of older or damaged Teslas, a donor-based build could also create another use for a vehicle whose original body is no longer suitable.
Those possibilities remain prospective. The company has not established its final price, range, output or delivery timing, and the estimate of roughly 100 units per year is a stated capacity rather than a confirmed production run. Buyers will need more information before judging the Badger against conventional electric vehicles or other specialty conversions.
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From Classic Conversions to Badger
Hoffman EV’s existing business centers on converting older British and other classic cars to electric power. The source report lists projects based on the DeLorean DMC-12, Volkswagen Beetle, Land Rover and vintage Rolls-Royce and Bentley models. The Badger extends that conversion experience in a different direction: instead of electrifying an older combustion vehicle, it uses Tesla components as the basis for a new body and chassis.
The company presented the first Badger at SEMA, an automotive trade show in Las Vegas. According to the report, founder Geoffrey Hoffman said the event would help the startup learn what kinds of vehicles customers want. Hoffman EV has described several potential body styles, but the minibus is the version shown so far. Its plans to improve aerodynamics in the first quarter of 2027 are also described as a future development, not a completed update.
“Hoffman expects pricing to fall somewhere between the Slate Truck and the Tesla Cybertruck.”
— Geoffrey Hoffman, as reported by InsideEVs
Price, Range and Production Remain Open
Hoffman EV has not released a confirmed price list, delivery date, detailed production plan or range estimate. The source report says sales are expected to start next year, but it does not identify a firm launch date or explain whether that timing depends on testing, regulatory approvals or customer orders.
The company’s pricing comparison is broad, and its estimate of 100 vehicles annually does not establish how many it will actually build. The source material also does not specify the availability or condition requirements for donor Teslas, warranty coverage for reused components, crash-test results, or how the Badger’s altered shape affects performance and efficiency. Hoffman has said the boxy vehicle may have less range than its donor, while suggesting its lower weight could help it travel farther around town; neither point is supported by a published range figure.
Customer Feedback and 2027 Aerodynamics
Hoffman EV says it will use feedback from the SEMA appearance to learn which body styles potential customers want. The company has not announced orders, a finalized lineup or a production start date. Its stated expectation is that sales could begin next year, while its current production estimate remains about 100 vehicles annually.
The source report says the startup plans aerodynamic improvements in the first quarter of 2027. Further updates will need to clarify which versions move beyond concepts, how much a completed vehicle or kit will cost, what range buyers can expect, and how the company will support vehicles built from used Tesla components.
Key Questions
What is the Hoffman Badger?
The Badger is a proposed vehicle from Wisconsin startup Hoffman EV. Its first shown version is an 11-seat minibus using components from a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y in a new chassis and body.
Can the Badger be a pickup?
Hoffman EV has described other possible body styles, including a pickup, but the source report identifies the minibus as the version shown at SEMA. The company has not confirmed which additional designs will enter production.
How much will the Badger cost?
No final price has been announced. Founder Geoffrey Hoffman’s reported estimate places it somewhere between the Slate Truck and Tesla Cybertruck, a broad comparison rather than a confirmed price range.
How far can the Badger travel on a charge?
Hoffman EV has not provided an estimated range. The source report says the company expects the boxy shape could reduce range compared with the donor Model 3 or Model Y, while its founder suggested lower weight might help in town.
When could sales begin?
The source report says sales are expected to start next year, but Hoffman EV has not announced a firm date or detailed production schedule.
Source: insideevs.com
