UK firm can electrify original Land Rover Defender for £24,000

British firm Electrogenic is offering a new ‘drop-in’ electric conversion kit for the original Land Rover Defender for just £24,000. 

Electrogenic’s kit can be used to replace the Defender’s original diesel or petrol engine with a 120bhp, 173lb ft electric motor.

Power comes from a 52kWh battery pack fitted under the bonnet, equipped for 7.5kW AC charging via a Type 2 connector, with faster charging an optional extra.

The firm says the conversion, which can be undertaken on any pre-1998 Defender 90 or 110, is aimed at farm-working vehicles, with the batteries offering 100-plus miles of range on the road or “considerably more” off it, due to lower average speeds - although no official figures have been given.

It claims, following testing against a diesel Defender, that owners can save around £6000 annually in fuel costs.

It also says that the kit has been designed to be maintenance-free, saving on running costs, and can “operate happily for decades”.

The battery is similarly robust, capable of a claimed 200,000 miles of use.

Further costs are saved by the easy "drop-in" installation method and by bolting the motor onto the existing clutch bell housing, so the vehicle keeps all its gears. Four-wheel drive is also kept.

Towing gets a boost too from the electric motor’s “instant and abundant torque”, Electrogenic says, while dual-stage regenerative braking enables brake-free off-road descents.

Electrogenic co-founder Steve Drummond said: “Defenders fitted with our easy-to-install kits do everything required of them on the farm quietly and efficiently. They're always there ready for use. Just unplug and drive away; no more factoring in trips to the petrol station and instant heat on cold, frosty mornings.

"An electrified Defender can also represent one more step towards a farm achieving its sustainability goals.

"The converted Defenders really deliver on all fronts, and we’re sure they will serve farmers ably for many years to come."

Yorkshire-based Twisted Automotive also offers a Defender conversion, but with much more power and for £270,000. This is more than just a powerplant replacement, though, with the fitment of a 61kWh battery and 268bhp, 885lb ft motor supplemented by a radical overhaul of the chassis and cabin.