So you want to buy an electric SUV. Tesla’s cybertruck and a Rivian’s pickup aren’t really your thing while the BMW iX is, well, "an acquired taste," so to speak. What you really want is a classic 4X4, perhaps a Range Rover from the 70s, or of course, the unstoppable Land Rover Defender. Trouble is, these classic SUVs are extreme gas-guzzlers. However, if these Brits are your cup of tea, but you don't want the fuel bills and emissions that come with their ownership, Everatti has the solution. The automotive firm is now electrifying these SUV icons, just don't expect the work to be cheap.
What Is Under The Hood?
Made in Oxfordshire, UK by a company called Everrati, the Land Rover Defender and Range Rover Classic are the latest in the line of famous models converted to EV by this company. Both models will be fully restored and improved to the highest quality while luxuriously equipped with sustainable materials. Both the Defender and The Range Rover Classic are using brand-new battery packs with advanced battery management and temperature control. They also get a brand new OEM-grade three-phase AC motor (electric motor driven by alternating current), new single speed gearbox and regenerative braking. The weight is distributed in such way that it maintains the original driving experience. The company still hasn’t revealed any specifications concerning the acceleration, power or approximate range. But, if we take a closer look at some of their other models, those numbers go from 150 horsepower for the Land Rover Series IIA, all the way to 800 horsepower for the Superformance GT40. The range, so far, is usually around 150-160 miles.
The price, on the other hand, was revealed. The Defender will set you back around $222,000, while the Range Rover Classic is even pricier at around $276,000. By the way, that is without the price of a donor vehicle, also you get a huge range of specifications to choose from at least. But hey, who ever said being a hipster was easy.
Should You Consider One?
That depends on where you stand on the idea of converting classic cars to electric. Unlike a sports car where the appeal is equal parts the design and the engine, that’s not really the case for a classic 4x4. Not to say the engine is bad, but to be honest, nobody ever bought a Land Rover Defender just because of it (unlike buying an Audi R8 because of its V-10). The Land Rover Defender was meant to be a workhorse, so it needed an engine that gets the job done. That’s all there is to it. The same goes for the Range Rover Classic. It was a status symbol that started the whole idea of a luxurious SUV that can go anywhere, so it had an engine that did just that. But if you were to look at 10 best car engines of all time, the ones from the SUVs are not there. And that is why this electric conversion of old British 4X4s actually makes sense. If only it didn’t cost that much…