Electric Defender on safari

Land Rover may already be working on a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, but the company’s South African subsidiary has gone one step further by producing an all-electric Defender in collaboration with lithium-ion battery pack specialists Axeon and Baker Performance Products.



Based on a 110 High Capacity Pick Up, the Electric Defender Game Viewer Concept Vehicle is designed for use in game parks where the ability to run quietly has obvious benefits.

The custom-made 300 volt 27 kW/hr battery pack fits entirely within the engine bay, so that ground clearance is unaffected and the electrical systems are kept dry when the Defender is wading. It powers an air-cooled AC induction motor that produces 79 bhp (59 kW / 80 PS), with a regenerative capacity of 13 bhp (10 kW / 14 PS), and 330 Nm (243 lb/ft) of torque.



It’s said that three typical game drives can be completed on a single charge, which equates to a range of around 50 miles (80 km) plus 12 miles (20 km) in reserve. Recharging is via the mains or a solar adapter.



For the moment the Electric Defender is just a one-off, although there could be other applications where the technology proves to be useful.



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