N.I.C.E. Car
Lauryn Morris used to love driving her 1975 Datsun 280Z around L.A. At red lights, other drivers would often make eye contact, give her a thumbs up, and invariably say, “Nice car!” That goes a long way in explaining the branding of NICE, the company she founded to convert old gas cars into electric vehicles. NICE stands for No Internal Combustion Engine and it taps into that vintage-car vibe. Yours could be a NICE car, whatever the make or model.
The branding is clever and simple, but the company’s story runs deeper. With a background in industrial design, Lauryn had always been fascinated by how things were made — and what happened to them when they broke. When her beloved Datsun became too unreliable, she looked for an electric replacement that offered the same charm and character. But new EVs felt sterile and expensive. Since the documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car (2006), a scrappy DIY community has grown, devoted to converting old gas cars to EVs, but wait times are long and prices are high for bespoke conversions. After retiring her Datsun, Lauryn leased a Volvo XC40 Recharge and took a sabbatical focused on circularity in the auto industry. During that time — supported by a Climatebase Fellowship — she realized the real opportunity wasn’t just in electric driving. It was in reuse.
Hoping to streamline EV conversion and reduce costs, she began to explore reusing motors and batteries from retired EVs such as the Nissan Leaf or Tesla Model S. NICE’s early vision was to lower the cost of conversion by converting batches of similar vehicles, using standardized “recipes.” With support from the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), Lauryn and her team chose a cult favorite, the 1980s Suzuki Samurai. Their first electric Samurai — converted in collaboration with ASE-certified high-voltage technician Sarah Lyon and powered by reclaimed Tesla batteries — was named Best SUV at Electrify Expo in Denver last year. A second conversion, completed this spring, improved the mileage range, standardized mounts, refined battery packaging, and cut assembly time in half.
But don’t expect grass to grow under these Samurais. With success, comes opportunity. The pilot proved that demand is real — but the real bottleneck wasn’t consumer interest, it was supply. NICE discovered that valuable EV parts were being prematurely scrapped, with no trusted channel for reuse. And as EV warranties expire and hundreds of thousands of aging electric vehicles enter the salvage pipeline each year, that problem is only accelerating. That insight sparked a shift to infrastructure. NICE is now building an AI-powered platform to reclaim, certify, and resell second-life EV components — batteries, motors, and more — creating the circular supply chain the industry desperately needs.
Think of it as the “reverse Tesla factory” — where quality components get a second life in mobility, energy storage, and repair. What started with a love for vintage cars is becoming the foundation for a more circular future. Stay tuned!
Lauryn Morris the Founder and CEO of N.I.C.E. was interviewed by Heath Massey, Editor
Upcoming Events
August 16 : Marin City Repair Fair + Clothing Swap
We will be hosting a Repair Fair and Clothing + Book Swaps at The Lab maker space in Marin City. This event will include a Clothing Swap, Book Swap and other activities and resources. Details to register below. As always, if you’d like to get involved email volunteer@reusealliance.org or sign up here !
September 13 : San Anselmo Repair Fair + Clothing Swap
We will be hosting a Repair Fair and Clothing Swap at City Hall. This event will include a Clothing Swap, a Halloween Costume + Decor Swap and other activities and resources. Details to register below. As always, if you’d like to get involved email volunteer@reusealliance.org or sign up here !
September 20 : Bodega Bay Repair Fair + Clothing Swap
We will be hosting a Repair Fair and Clothing Swap at the Bodega Bay School. This event will include a Clothing Swap and other activities and resources. Details to register below. As always, if you’d like to get involved email volunteer@reusealliance.org or sign up here !
September 27 : Santa Rosa Reuse Bazaar
We are excited to be partnering with Recology and the City of Santa Rosa to host the 2nd annual Reuse Bazaar. This giant community swap was so fun we’re doing it again - this year at the massive Grace Pavilion at the Sant Rosa Fairgrounds. Drop off your items between 8am - 11am and ‘shop’ all the free things between 12pm - 3pm. Click the button below for more details and a link to volunteer.
Opportunities
Aug 19 : Deadline to submit comments on CalRecycle’s Reusable Beverage Containers Infrastructure Grant Criteria.
Aug 27 at 10am PDT : CalPSC free Webinar on Textile Regulations in the Hospitality and Health Sectors.
Sep 4 from 4 - 6pm : Reclaim, Repurpose, Reimagine Exhibit opens at Sonoma State.
Oct 20 : Registration Closes for the Reimagine our Future Prize for college students from select universities.
Help us Reach our Goal!
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Reuse in the News
Oregon seems to have cracked the code on reusable wine bottles.
Reuse before recycling. Always, but especially when it comes to EV Batteries. Which might be why stories like these are proliferating.
A Circular Economy Certificate from Pitt should be a requirement for all designers and engineers.
Let’s turn everything (including Route 66 Hotels) into affordable housing.
What’s better than deconstructing a house? Reusing it by moving it like this couple in Altadena did.
Reuse to Amuse
Who likes the sound of a No Crap Parties movement?
Repair Fairs for everyone! Also, Mice in Tennis Balls!
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