Now this one could prove a little divisive. Because, let's face it, one of the enduring charms of an original Range Rover is its big hearted 3.5-litre V8. In fact, that Rover V8 is a large part of the appeal in any car it powers. So to hear of a Range Rover converted to run on electricity, using Tesla Model S batteries no less, may ruffle a few feathers.
The car you see here has been created by Electric Classic Cars which, as you might have guessed, makes its business in repurposing old cars as EVs - see here for its Beetle, BMW E9 and Fiat 500. Using 15 of the 16 battery packs deployed in a P85 Model S, it's said to produce 130hp and 213lb ft. Seems a little modest given the prodigious figures produced by the Tesla, though appropriate given the original V8's output. ECC claims the Range Rover is capable of up to 200 miles on a charge; also included in the conversion is a hill descent system.
Beyond the filler now requiring an electricity lead rather than a fuel pump, as well as a rather different look to the engine bay and slightly less boot space, it is to all intents and purposes an old Range Rover. Right down to the beige with brown colour scheme.
Going from ECC's social media posts, the Range has been in build since 2016 and will be shown to the public at the Fully Charged Live show at Silverstone in a couple of weeks. Before then though, there's a chance to see the RR EV in this Fully Charged YouTube episode, with a detailed explanation of the car (it's about 100kg heavier than standard, for example) and some actual off roading. It's not exactly Camel Trophy, but impressive nonetheless. Is it something you'd contemplate for a classic Range Rover? Watch the vid and comment below!
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