Land Rover has announced it will reveal an electric version of its most legendary SUV, the Defender, at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
The British manufacturer will show up in Switzerland with seven Defender EVs built, at least for now, only as research vehicles, but with production prospects in sight depending on further testing results.
"This project is acting as a rolling laboratory for Land Rover to assess electric vehicles, even in the most arduous all-terrain conditions," said Antony Harper, Jaguar Land Rover Head of Research. "It gives us a chance to evolve and test some of the technologies that may one day be introduced into future Land Rover models."
The Geneva bound classic off-roader is being powered by a 94 bhp electric motor with juice coming from 300-volt, 27 kWh lithium-ion battery. Driving range is rated at over 50 miles (80 km), while full recharging can be achieved in only four hours if using a 7 kW fast charger.
According to the British company, the electric Defender managed to pull a "a 12-tonne ‘road train’ up a 13 percent gradient and wading to a depth of 800mm" during testing.
"This project is acting as a rolling laboratory for Land Rover to assess electric vehicles, even in the most arduous all-terrain conditions," said Antony Harper, Jaguar Land Rover Head of Research. "It gives us a chance to evolve and test some of the technologies that may one day be introduced into future Land Rover models."
The Geneva bound classic off-roader is being powered by a 94 bhp electric motor with juice coming from 300-volt, 27 kWh lithium-ion battery. Driving range is rated at over 50 miles (80 km), while full recharging can be achieved in only four hours if using a 7 kW fast charger.
According to the British company, the electric Defender managed to pull a "a 12-tonne ‘road train’ up a 13 percent gradient and wading to a depth of 800mm" during testing.