California electric car conversion company Zero Labs has expanded its portfolio to include the Series III Land Rover, turning the iconic off-roader into an electric car with a modernised look and interior. The US brand, which is best known for its modernised Ford Broncos – including a full carbonfibre version – has launched two versions of the Series III, the Classic and Beach, with the latter being adapted for life by the sea.
Both versions get Zero Labs’ second-gen electric chassis, with a floor section of batteries to provide either 85kWh or 100kWh performance. The setup – placed under the Series III’s body – can be single or two motor, producing anything from 300 to 600hp with a maximum of 18,000rpm. Range is quoted at more than 235 miles, and the car’s suspension is completely replaced with new independent front and rear hardware to maintain its off-road ability.
The layout’s been designed to work with the 1971-85 Series III, in five-door 109 Wagon form. It’s a larger vehicle than the 1966-77 Bronco Zero Labs normally works with; the Series III’s interior is also vastly different, but the company has applied the same level of high-grade, modern finish. There’s a mix of retro and new, which matches the exterior, where minor tweaks to details and Zero Labs’ full-faced wheels refresh the plucky Brit’s look and widen its stance.
The Beach builds on that spec with a fabric top and roll bars, while enhanced rust protection should prevent seaside salts from eating their way into the structure. There’s no word whether Zero Labs could produce something as extreme as an all-carbon version, as it has done with the Bronco. But the firm does emphasise that no project is too big for the West Coast team; presumably, if you can write the cheque, they can produce the project. On the website, a Unimog and Land Cruiser are also illustrated as a hint to other jobs.
Naturally, all of this work is expensive, with the Series III costing $185,000 in both Classic and Beach forms, equating to about £140k. But this work is extensive and the standard of the build has to be seen in the metal and lithium-ion to be fully appreciated. And as its work with the Bronco has shown, there’s no shortage of demand for electrically-converted retro machinery like this. Just ask Twisted...
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