Land Rover testing electric Defender 110 pickup

Land Rover has begun testing an electric version of the Land Rover Defender first shown at the 2012 Geneva motor show. The electric Defender prototype is in service at the Eden Project in Cornwall, U.K., a complex of several large transparent domes that house multiple artificially maintained environments containing thousands of rare plants, and is a popular visitor attraction.

At the moment the electric Defender isn't exactly tearing through the Amazon rainforest, but the work it's doing is nevertheless a good approximation of how quite a lot of Defenders are used in real life -- at least in terms of speed and duration of use. Every day the electric Defender 110 pickup, badged "All terrain Electric Research Vehicle" tows a four-carriage, 12-ton road train that carries up to 60 passengers up a 6 percent incline at the Eden Project. This particular prototype is designed to perform its duties throughout the day on the single charge, and then recharge overnight for the cost of EUR 2.00 ($2.66).

Land Rover
The 110 hasn't been on sale on the U.S. in over a decade.

The electric Defender prototype has full all-terrain capability and can reach a top speed of 70 mph. The vehicle itself has a range of 50 miles plus a reserve system which allows it to travel an additional 12.5 miles when needed. The electric Defender is also designed to test some technology that we've become familiar with in plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, such as regenerative braking.

Land Rover is remaining mum on any serial production plans for the electric Defender.

By Jay Ramey