Seven trailblazing Land Rover Electric Defender research cars will be unveiled in Geneva next week as the British car maker showcases its pioneering work in off-road electric vehicle development.
In one of the most significant technological undertakings in the manufacturer�??s 65-year history, the Land Rover Defender EVs swap the standard Defender�??s diesel powertrain for a 70kW/330Nm electric motor, a 27kWh lithium-ion battery and a single-speed transmission.
What hasn�??t changed is Land Rover�??s four-wheel-drive system �?" which is fed peak torque from the electric motor the moment the throttle is pressed �?" and the standard car�??s differential lock. The Electric Defender also features a modified version of the brand�??s Terrain Response system, which is designed to maximise traction in all conditions.
Land Rover says the electric prototype has proven itself capable across extreme and environmentally sensitive conditions, pulling a 12-tonne road train up a 13 per cent gradient and wading to a depth of 800mm during the testing phase.
Despite having a driving range of approximately 80km, Land Rover says the Electric Defender�??s battery can last for up to eight hours in typical low-speed off-road conditions. A full recharge takes four hours from a fast charger and 10 hours from a portable charger.
While the battery pack weighs 410kg, the Defender EV is only 100kg heavier than the standard Defender 110 wagon. All the major components of the electric powertrain �?" including the battery, motor and inverter �?" are air-cooled rather than liquid-cooled to save weight, limit complexity and increase robustness.
Jaguar Land Rover head of research Antony Harper said the Electric Defender program was a rolling laboratory for the company to assess EVs in the most arduous all-terrain conditions.
�??It gives us a chance to evolve and test some of the technologies that may one day be introduced into future Land Rover models,�?� Harper said.
While there are no plans for Land Rover Electric Defender to enter production, the seven development cars presented at next week�??s Geneva motor show will go into service in specialist applications later this year.
�
0 comments:
Post a Comment