In 2020, ECD debuted its plans to become the first Land Rover restoration company to make an electric  Tesla-powered Land Rover Defender right here in the U.S. Months later, the company announced its first EV Land Rover Project Ski, an Alpine White electric Range Rover classic. The vehicle was the first of its kind in the U.S. and the first Tesla-powered RRC in the world. ECD planned to bring electric Tesla power to its standard drivetrain lineup options for those looking for a convenient and California Compliant vehicle.

Partnering exclusively with Electric Classic Cars in the U.K., ECD fits custom-made Tesla motors into its customized builds to create amazing EV Land Rovers with both heritage and a modern edge. The motor and a majority of its batteries are fitted much like a typical ECD conversion, sitting in the front of the vehicle while the remaining 40% of the Tesla motor’s battery rest at the back of the vehicle. Unlike typical vehicles, the EV Land Rover starts when the key is inserted, turned, and its button pushed. Since the vehicle cannot be placed into park, there is a button to turn on the vehicle’s electric parking brake. Also on the center console is a dial to put the vehicle into drive, reverse, or neutral instead of the traditional shifter.

The EV Land Rover’s gears don’t actually shift since the motor is always engaged. As our Lead Tech Ryan says, imagine the vehicle as being like a remote control car, where the pedal acts as the throttle on your remote-controlled car’s controls; the faster your squeeze, the faster the car goes. The vehicle’s motor is also turned to allow for the all-wheel-drive nature of the restored Defender to remain true; there is no transfer case.

The sound of the EV Land Rover is completely different from the vehicle’s traditional V8 or Diesel engine; it is not a roar but more of a low hum. The vehicle lands at 100 KWH, with a standard range of 200 miles, and can be charged at any local Tesla charging station with the standard J1772 Tesla charging socket. Like many of our vehicles, the Tesla power upgrades Land Rovers by giving them some serious power, around 450 hp depending on the setup. ECD’s EV Land Rover Defender has been expected to go 0-60 in 5.4 seconds.

If you’re looking for a custom Land Rover defender that is both modern and classic, ECD is the place to get started. Get in touch at [email protected].