Series 2 Land Rover Conversion: Following Up With Yosi

It has been two years since Electric Car Converts converted my 1969 Land Rover Series IIA 88in into electric power.

You may remember the March 2023 conversion story, the vehicle appeared on the 2023 cover of The Classic Land Rover magazine. The original 1969 diesel engine produced 46hp and crossing a junction would usually mean taking it from first to third gear. Now, the 120hp electric motor means I have the torque to start driving in third gear without even using the clutch. I just press the accelerator and off we go. Most London driving is stop/start and usually limited to 20mph. Driving a diesel in this way is tiring.

However, the electric motor has completely transformed city driving for me, and I find I’m a lot calmer and the experience more enjoyable.

I no longer worry about revs, gears, clutch control or the constant fear of something breaking, so I can focus on cyclists, pedestrians and kids messing around in the back!

Land Rover owners love tinkering and I am still very much involved in the maintenance of my old vehicle. Before converting, I prepared it by replacing the leaf springs for a softer set following advice from Restorovers. A new set of brakes was also installed. However, we didn’t check the rear differential, which last year buckled under the extra power that was going through it. We found a whole tooth from the crownwheel swimming in the oil, so ended up ordering new differentials and drive shafts. These were on a month-long waiting list from Nigel Barker at Xcess 4×4, so I was stuck for a month, or so I thought.

It turns out another positive of an EV conversion is that the motor is software- controlled and you can set up the power how you want it. Barnaby at Electric Car Converts asked me to connect my diagnostics laptop and then remotely changed the power output curve so it accelerated a little more gently while I limped around with the dodgy diff. Turns out I prefer it this way as it stops me driving around like I’m in a go-kart.

However, the reason I love this vehicle is that it is still a Land Rover, one I get to use the charge point is under the fuel cap daily in the city. It’s a magnificent design, the 88in wheelbase making it very city- friendly with the narrow streets and tight parking.

I still have a huge load area in the back which I put my kayak in when the seats are folded away, and my two daughters in when the seats are down. And I’m higher than most other drivers, which gives me great all-round visibility.

Converting a classic icon to electric power is not for everyone and I’m not trying to change opinions, just to share my story. When I’m out I constantly get confused looks from people who know a thing or two about old Land Rovers wondering why no smoke or noise is coming from the vehicle. Range anxiety is a term I learned only after I converted to electric. I used to drive a 2002 double-cab Defender and range wasn’t something I ever worried about. Now of course I’m more conscious.

With improvements to ZapMap, a UK-wide map of electric car charging points, and an increasing number of charging points being added all the time, I find the 60 to 70-mile range adequate.

We frequent the Isle of Sheppey or Windsor from our central London home and now rather than a five-minute dash into a depressing petrol station to fill up, we stop at perhaps a pub with a charge point, or a walking trail with a lamp post charger nearby. We travel by country lane. and enjoy the journey and aren’t in a rush.

London is an expensive place to live and many residents don’t even have a vehicle. But in my work as a camera operator, I travel with a lot of gear around central London covering numerous news stories every day, so I need a car.

I’m able to drive into the centre of London without paying the congestion charge, my road tax is £0, insurance is a couple of hundred pounds a year and I of course don’t pay for petrol! So, overall this conversion made a lot of sense for me and it is much more fun than driving a pricey modern electric car.