British firm launches 'innovative' EV Defender
Not just another retrofit, says Bedeo, as it promises zero emissions without adding unnecessary weight
We’ve become well accustomed to seeing electric conversions of classic cars. These have been achieved with varying degrees of success - and it’s safe to say varying degrees of quality and usability. Many if not most are extremely invasive and require the subject to be substantially re-engineered - with a predictable weight penalty. Bedeo, a British engineering firm that you’ve probably never heard of (we hadn’t) claims to be unique in this regard. And that’s thanks to its innovative use of IWM.
What is IWM? Glad you asked. It stands for in-wheel motor, and it’s what separates Bedeo from most of its competitors. The firm revealed earlier plans for the tech - developed by subsidiary Protean Electric, which has been around since 2008 - last year, in the form of an EV system that could be retrofitted to commercial vehicles to extend their operating life. Which is a good idea, but not nearly as publicity-friendly as converting an old Land Rover Defender to run on battery power.
As part of a Reborn Electric: Icons initiative, the Defender features four in-wheel motors, each providing 80hp and a maximum of 479lb ft to the total. That endows the off-roader with more than 300hp and, somewhat alarmingly, 1,916lb ft of torque. Happily the latter is more of a theoretical number than a real-world function - as the 0-62mph time of around 10 seconds testifies to. Bedeo has also sensibly limited the top speed to 80mph.
So it’s not a neck-straining speed merchant (good); it’s obviously intended more as proof of concept, and to show that an EV conversion can be achieved without dramatically adding to a classic car’s kerbweight. Bedeo reckons that IWM, 75 kWh battery and standard 22 kW on-board charger weigh ‘around the same’ as the diesel engine it removed in the process. Presumably the other attraction is that thanks to the location of the motors, you can do away with driveshafts. While ‘losing none of the ruggedness and charm of a traditional Land Rover Defender on the road.’ Or off it if the pictures are anything to go by.
You will lose some of the diesel-powered Defender’s range, mind. Bedeo says the estimated WLTP score is 153 miles. And you’ll need five hours to refill it, although that can be substantially reduced by opting for an optional (and chunkier) 50kW charger. Obviously the upside is that you get a ‘whisper-silent’ powertrain that will allow the Defender to be ‘enjoyed for years to come’ - albeit for a substantial, undisclosed outlay.
“Through our Reborn Electric: Icons program, we are committed to maintaining the original car's kerb weight, charm, and driving dynamics while ensuring easy maintenance and delivering the benefits of electrification,” said Bedeo CEO, Osman Boyer. “For the Defender, and other models to come, this means zero tailpipe emissions, zero noise, and the preservation of the nostalgic, classic driving experience we all cherish, now brought into the 21st century without sacrificing its essence or adding unnecessary, bulky weight.”
If that all sounds appealing, the firm is inviting interested parties to get in touch, suggesting that they need not be ‘confined by pre-set limitations’ because the technology offers ‘unparalleled’ levels of customisation. It promises that new owners will ‘be active collaborators in the design process’ and reckons that its proprietary technology, engineered entirely in-house, offers the best route to preserving the nation’s automotive heritage.
Moreover, on the basis that its IWM powertrain ‘can be utilised in any vehicle’, it will inevitably not be stopping with the Defender. As indicated by its CEO, Bedeo has plans to include other cars in the near future, and reckons its global footprint (it has manufacturing facilities in Turkey and China, alongside its UK-based headquarters and R&D operation) means it is well positioned to establish itself as a significant player on the EV conversion scene. In other words, watch this space.
The old Defenders are rubbish cars anyway, but it’s an expensive way of harming one of its few attributes (character and nolstalgia) for negligible real world environmental benefit.
If they ban ICE in London then I guess it might make a good novelty runabout for those wealthy enough to have off-street parking there with a charger but that’s years and years off anyway and you might as well spend it on Ubers given how useless that will be for out of town journeys.
I assume these are axial motors and it would be interesting to learn the amount of weight shifted to the wheels.
Range on these conversions is always bad and the LR shape is essentially a large brick. The real breakthrough will be when battery density allows for the packs to sit in the frame.
The other solution with axials is to stack them in a housing that sits where the transmission did which is likely to be more cost effective plus, dumping the transfer case and drive from the front wheels so the motors are just straight into the rear axle. Much of the loss of 4WD could be compensated for by using computers to manage traction. It's still amazing how far you get in and old Landie before having to clamber out and engage the front wheels.
Most times I get into an old Rangie I'll be doing minimum 200 miles on the day and zero intent to be spending any of my time charging or looking for a charger at my destination. The longer trips are around 500 miles which requires a stop half way for fuel and chilling. Having to stop 3-4 times for a 5 hour charge is less than ideal.
That said, an old Defender that's just used in an estate and where the estate has a commercial benefit from being seen to be great guys who care deeply about the planet would have no issue at all, nor would some old farm hack, especially if they can be plugged into a wind genny or a bit of scrap solar down the end of the orchard etc.
Would work at all for me but would for others.
... which is correct !But 100ish miles for 5 hours charging really doesn’t strike me as an attractive proposition vs just keeping the thing diesel/petrol.
If it’s for use around a farm/village and you have a charger I’m sure it would be fine but you’re paying a lot of money to not have the ability to take it further if needs be for what return?
If you want silence and a modern driving experience an old Defender isn’t where you’d start, and if you’re doing low mileage in a non urban area then the environmental benefits don’t really stack up.
For some people it will be a cool novelty that is within their toy budget and if it makes them happy and they’re spending money here then that’s all good.
I just can’t really see the point
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