NEW 4X4S
New low-cost Defender EV conversion from Electrogenic is aimed at landowners and agriculturalists
ELECTRIC LAND ROVER DEFENDERS are big news – and they normally come with even bigger prices. But Oxfordshire company Electrogenic says its new drop-in conversion kit can pay for itself in four years of typical use – then play its part in keeping the vehicle healthy well into the future. The conversion, which was developed in partnership with automotive experts at Cardiff University, comes as a kit designed to be installed by a qualified mechanic. It includes an electric motor developing 120bhp and 173lbf.ft – roughly comparable figures to the Tdi and Td5 engines in most Defenders whose age now might make them suitable
candidates for the work. A 52kWh battery pack is installed under the bonnet, which Electrogenic says will allow ‘100-plus miles of range on-road and considerably more when driving off-road or around a farm.’ As this suggests, the kit is aimed at a very different kind of Land Rover to the millionaires’ lifestyle machines most normally associated with electric conversions. Electrogenic says it is intended for the agricultural sector, with 18 months of testing having recently been completed at Worthy Farm, home of the famous Glastonbury Festival – where, coincidentally, Greta Thunberg recently made a surprise appearance in her ongoing campaign for sustainable living. The Electrogenic kit comes equipped as standard for 7.5kW AC overnight charging via a Type 2 connector, however a faster set-up can be specified as an optional extra.
4x4 3.5 Scene News 22.indd 10
05/07/2022 16:25
