Hi everyone, Barnaby here!
If you are new here, welcome to Electric Car Converts. Otherwise, you should know by now what we are all about: providing old Land Rovers with an electric pulse.
I would like to present something special to you today. A Land Rover Series with its original engine changed out for a Tesla motor and a 55 kWh battery. It still has the appearance on the surface, but with much cleaner and more modern electric power inside.
The Centre of the Stage: A Series of Electric Land Rovers
The old engine has been removed and replaced with a 55 kWh battery pack from Fellten. We now use Fellten packs due to their specifications, elite quality, and reliable support. Previously, we used to build our packs. Now it is all Fellten, as they are superior.
In terms of range, you’ll get around 150 miles on a single charge, which is plenty for a Land Rover like this. And when you do run out of juice, there is quick charging through Type 2 DC, which takes approximately 25 minutes while you make a coffee. For full details on cost, see our pricing page.
A Trial Run
Getting into it, it still feels just like a Land Rover Series ought to. Bumpy on-road and off-road performance, wobbly control, and no modern gadgets on the dashboard to distract you. We prefer to make things simple. No touchscreens, simply appropriate switches and gauges.
To start it, you require the original key. There is an eco mode switch and an amp gauge behaving as a rev counter. It just retains the character and has a little more go. When you have 300 horsepower at your disposal, the eco mode is undoubtedly helpful in making things reasonable.
It has a Tesla motor, brilliant and reliable, but it is overdone on something so lightweight. We have installed an application that allows the owner to change the level of power delivery and regenerative braking. It is currently pegged at 149 kW. Not ludicrous but fast.
Regeneration, Braking, Upgraded Heating
Regenerative braking is something you have to get used to, mainly if you’ve never driven an EV before. Take off the accelerator, and the car slows down and regenerates energy. We’ve adjusted this to 70% regen, soft, and comfortably liveable.
We have also replaced the heating system with a liquid system, as opposed to the traditional Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) element. It passes through the original Smith’s heater unit, so all outward appearances are the same, but with much improved performance. Also convenient in case we need to warm up the battery on a cold winter morning.
Silent on the Outside, Traditional on the Inside
On the outside, there is nothing to indicate that this is electric, except for the absence of smoke and the silence. The charging port is hidden behind the fuel filler flap, which is an old one. Its interior is also all original. There are no gear sticks anymore, and that creates additional space in the middle to carry a dog or a small child.
What Are the Reasons to Go Electric with the Land Rover Series
It is not about transforming a traditional into a spaceship of the future. It is all about retaining all the look and feel of a Land Rover Series yet simplifying it to use every day. No sound, no exhaust, merely clean, effortless driving.
And since the app allows you to customise power and regen, you can make it as you like it. Want a touch of sport? Take the heat up. You are just going to the shops? Turn it back to less.
Cheers,
Barnaby