Purists might not like the idea, but the market in EV-converted classics is picking up speed. British firm Everrati is doing a brisk trade powertrain-swapping cars like the Porsche 964-generation 911, Mercedes SL Pagoda and Superformance GT40, and now its added two more icons to its range.
The company’s latest retro EVs are the original Range Rover and the Land Rover Defender, which join the vintage Land Rover Series IIa announced last year. Each car is fully restored to better-than-factory condition before being kitted out with its new zero emissions heart, just like Everrati’s other cars.
Everrati, which recently opened a second base in the U.S. to expand its export business, hasn’t revealed important details like the power and performance of the new cars, only saying that each will “stay true to the timeless quality of the vehicle yet provide a powertrain upgrade that will exceed the performance specifications of the original.”
Exceeding the performance of the original won’t be hard. The 1970 Range Rover’s ex-Buick 3.5-liter V8 made just 135 hp (137 kW) which resulted in a slothful 13.9-second zero to 60 mph (97 km/h) time and meagre 91 mph (147 km/h) top speed. And the Land Rover Defender wasn’t much quicker (some were even slower).
Related: Classic Land Rover Series IIA Can Now Become An EV Thanks To Everrati
For comparison, Everrati’s Land Rover SIIa makes 148 hp (150 PS) and can accelerate to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 13 seconds dead, but we’re expecting the electrified Range Rover to improve on both that and the 150-mile (240 km/h) range given that both of the new cars cost considerably more.
Land Rover SIIa commission start at £159,950 (equal to $196,100 at current exchange rates) but a Defender EV build will set you back a minimum of £185,000 ($226,800) and you’re facing a bill of £230,000 ($282,000) for the Range Rover. And none of those prices include tax or the cost of the donor vehicle. That money does get you a beautifully finished Bridge of Weir leather interior as well as an EV conversion, but there’s no doubt you could by an immaculate or fully restored combustion version of either of the new models for a fraction of the price.
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