This one looks a bit different. It’s not a Defender or a Series, even though underneath it shares plenty with them. What makes it interesting is how naturally the Range Rover Classic takes to an electric conversion. Once you see it on the road and underneath, the whole idea clicks into place. You get the original look with something far more usable.
A Spin Through Proper Range Rover Country
I took it out on the small country lanes around our workshop. It feels right here. This area is very Range Rover. You roll along above the hedgerows, looking out over manicured country manors. Perfect terrain for an electric take on an eighties icon.
This one arrived as a V8 petrol car. The engine made a lot of noise. It sounded almost good, but the smoke out the back spoiled it. The client bought it because it could not pass an MOT unless the engine was basically replaced. The leak was so bad that repairing it would have been a constant cycle of fixing and fixing again. After nearly forty years, the engine was at the end of its life. The rest of the vehicle was solid. So an EV conversion made far more sense than saving a dying V8.
Inside, it remains very eighties. Lots of plastic, cloth seats that need love, and that general charm only a classic Range Rover has. Underneath, though, it is completely modern. It now does zero to sixty in about six seconds. It used to make a huge fuss to get anywhere near that. Now it does it silently.
Steering is still vague. Brakes and suspension have been fully rebuilt and feel fine. The important thing is it still feels like a Range Rover. High up, commanding view, hedgerows below you. That is part of the magic.
Under the Bonnet
Outside, it is a standard four-door. The paintwork is not perfect, and it may not be the original colour, but Range Rover enthusiasts will know better than I do.
Under the bonnet, you find the same 55 kWh battery pack we use in Defenders. The surprising part is how much better the range is in this compared with the Defenders. Part of that is the tyres. Part may be the shape. Whatever the reason, it simply travels further per charge.
The frame differs from the Defender setup, so the battery pack sits at a slightly different angle. That tilt gives just enough clearance for the manual service disconnect under the rubber seal. The engine bay is shorter in these, so we lose some space compared with a Defender. Radiator layout changes, header tanks move to the side, and the heating is the same liquid system feeding into the original heater matrix and controls.
Power steering and brake vacuum live neatly in the cavity where the 12-volt battery used to sit. We took advantage of the space and tucked in everything cleanly.
Dual Charging and Reversibility
The charge setup is where this one becomes interesting. What looks like the original fuel filler on the side now houses a standard Type 2 socket. It fits perfectly into the old fuel filler hole using the same four bolts. No cutting. No irreversible bodywork changes.
Rapid DC charging is hidden under the bonnet. That is intentional. Ninety-nine percent of charging will be through the side Type 2 socket. The DC port is only for those moments where you want seventy kilowatts from a motorway charger. Bonnet up, plug in, job done.
We refuse to cut holes in classic bodywork. Everything we do here is reversible, and this arrangement lets us keep that promise.
There is also a 12-volt disconnect for long stays. This car is heading to the client’s holiday home in Italy, so it may sit unused for months. The disconnect stops the battery from draining. If it ever did drain, two jump-start points are right there.
Underneath and On the Road
Underneath sits a Tesla Model 3 motor with around 280 horsepower. It makes the car properly quick. More importantly, it cruises at seventy on the motorway without the vibration or drama you get in a Defender. The Range Rover was built for long distances, and the EV setup suits it perfectly. Quiet, stable, smooth.
Air Conditioning and Interior Details
It is going to Italy, so it needs air conditioning. This car never had air conditioning originally, which makes it a challenge. The full system now lives where the fuel tank used to be. High voltage compressor, evaporator, condenser, the lot. Vents feed into the footwells through discreet new outlets rather than using the original vent system, which is almost impossible to adapt. Heating remains original and works with the EV system.
Electric windows are here too. Not by us, but they suit the car. Inside, it looks like an eighties Range Rover. Plastic centre panel, original switches, original blower controls. Instead of gearsticks, you get EV controls, an electric handbrake, and eco mode. Gauges stay in the original binnacle but now show battery level and GPS-based speed.
It needs a headline, but that is not our department. Mechanically and electrically, it is finished and ready for its new life in Italy.
Final Thoughts
We do not build many Range Rovers, simply because people rarely ask. For us, the conversion cost is the same as a Defender. Sixty thousand for a full build or eighty-seven thousand for a kit. You can explore our EV conversion kits or view a full breakdown on our Land Rover EV conversion pricing page. What you get is a classic that drives like a modern car without losing its character.
If you want one, you know where to find us.