Land Rover Testing Electric Defender at Eden Project in UK

Land RoverLand RoverUnited Kingdom, 1978 > present15 models
1742 photos
9 videos
has begun real-world testing of six electric DefendersLand Rover Defender Gen.1United Kingdom, 1983 > present122 versions
206 photos
1 video
at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, and it is using them to tow 60 visitors at a time around the park in a 12 metric ton road train.

The trucks are all based on the Defender 110 Pick UpsLand Rover Defender 110 P...United Kingdom, 2007 > present2 photos
powered by lithium-ion batteries and wear 'All terrain Electric Research Vehicle' badges. The trucks still have all-wheel drive and hill descent control, and the system adds regenerative braking.

The system has a total range of 50 miles, and the regenerative braking adds a further 12.5 miles over the course of a day. The park is small enough that all six of them can run eight hours a day transporting visitors. They have a top speed of 70mph. Land Rover estimates that each truck costs £2.00 to recharge each evening and take 10 hours to fully recharge.

"The car has been modified so it now includes a second battery. That will allow it to work a full day at the Eden Project, but also improves weight distribution and stability. In addition, we've linked the land-train's air brakes to the foot pedal of the Land Rover, enhancing safety," said Jeremy Greenwood, Principal Engineer on the Electric Defender project.

Land Rover intends for the car to be a real world test of its electric vehicle technology, and for the moment it is still a research project on how to electrify a four-wheel drive vehicle. It is using them to gather data for future electric vehicles.