Review: This All-Electric Defender Restomod Brings Modern Power and Performance to a Coveted Classic
Aside from a bit of vibration at the back and an expected amount of play in the steering, nothing of note detracts from the sense that I’m piloting a farm truck of the future, one that easily doubles as a daily driver—and an exquisitely built and detailed one to boot. That an all-electric conversion of a Land Rover Defender 110 could be so seamless in executing both its zero-emissions mission statement and still convey the bygone-era character of such a beloved and revered model is a surprise. What’s not surprising is that this refined restomod EV is from E.C.D. Automotive Design.
“I think the real driver for us is just the innovation side. More than the business reason for electrification, it’s based on a passion to do everything better,” stated Scott Wallace, co-founder of the Florida-based restoration house, when I was visiting to test-drive the team’s first EV back in 2021. Yet that vehicle, a battery-powered Range Rover Classic, was not originally intended to be E.C.D’s electric debut.
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“We have about one in 20 vehicles that’s a Range Rover, the other 19 are Defenders,” says Wallace during a more recent trip of mine to E.C.D.’s headquarters in Kissimmee, Fla. “So it was always logical to make the Defender electric.” Wallace mentions that they had already “done all the planning and had a test vehicle in the UK” when it came to an EV version of the Defender 110, but the electrified Range Rover preempted it due to a customer commission. As word got out about the Ranger Rover’s successful transformation to a lithium-ion layout, a client request soon followed for the similar treatment on Land Rover’s Defender flagship introduced in the 1980s. And having a commission proved key, according to Wallace.
“If you really want to test your team on how they adapt and react, you’ve got to work to a date,” says Wallace. “What percentage of automotive manufacturers are really offering electric vehicles? They’re given ridiculous timeframes and R&D budgets, and there’s no pressure. Our pressure just has to be managed, and I think we have a good system in terms of manufacturing.”
E.C.D.s highly customized manufacturing system is responsible for the vehicle I had wheel time with that morning, one that goes by the covert moniker Project Britton and is touted as “the first fully electric, Tesla-powered Defender 110 in the USA”. Built from a classic donor Defender, Project Britton is the definition of restomod, not just due to the Tesla Direct Drive power train—which comprises a 100 kwh battery pack and 450 hp electric motor—but also for the high-touch amenities within the 2+2+2 cabin configuration. These include an Alpine Halo “floating” display screen (with Bluetooth compatibility) and bespoke accents like the teak-wood rear flooring and storage bench more akin to what you would find on yachts built by the likes of Riva and Oceanco.
Adding to the list of contemporary embellishments are Brembo brakes and a suite of driver aids such as blind-spot assistance, cameras at the front and back, a rear sensor, and remote-start functionality. And the entire presentation rolls on 20-inch Kahn Mondial wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich’s Rugged Trail T/A rubber. As for the range, that’s estimated at 180 miles per full charge, which takes roughly 8 hours to replenish.
After settling into the Recaro driver’s seat, which, like all of the others, is dressed in diamond-stitched Porsche Nappa leather, I turn the dial to Drive, clasp the Evander beech-wood steering wheel, and depress the throttle. It’s at this point that E.C.D.’s real craftsmanship is revealed. To present a drive experience that delivers torque on demand and the ability to launch from zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, enables occupants to more easily travel long distances thanks to the restoration house’s own Air Ride suspension, facilitates Wi-Fi connectivity and wireless charging, and still preserves the Defender’s timeless ethos is a testament to all of the people behind the E.C.D. nameplate.
The brunt of E.C.D.’s learning curve with electrification was felt with the initial Range Rover, and the lessons learned made the road to Project Britton less rocky. “When the Range Rover first came through, it was on coil springs, and we couldn’t get the distribution right, so we changed it to air [suspension]” mentions Elliot Humble, who, along with his brother Tom, co-founded the company with Wallace. “This one [the Defender] went to air suspension from the start, so we could set the heights and have a perfectly level truck.”
That’s not to say Project Britton is beyond improvement. “There are still things I don’t like, there’s still tweaking,” said Humble at the time of my visit. “I mean, we’ve got 700 more miles,” he noted, referring to the 1,000 miles of testing and fine-tuning they put on each commissioned project before delivery. After all, the finished product is where E.C.D. strives to differentiate itself from the burgeoning competition.
“This Defender went through the true E.C.D. experience, which is customize everything you want around it,” says Wallace. “We could put in an electric drivetrain but still stay true to our brand of creating a one-of-one, fully customized vehicle.”
Since I was last at E.C.D. for Project Britton, the team has further enhanced its industry presence, both on the production side and with its actual base of operations. Within the past several months, two more all-electric Defenders have come to fruition, including a convertible soft-top example named Project Arizona Desert. Perhaps most impressive, though, is the restoration house’s foray into reimagining the highly coveted Jaguar E-Type, even offering electrification of the 1960s sensation as an option.
To accommodate its growing restomod menu and ever-increasing demand, E.C.D. recently relocated its “Rover Dome” (as the headquarters is known) to a 100,000-square-foot complex within a few miles of the previous facility. The upgrade includes a cutting-edge paint lab that alone cost approximately $500,000 to complete, and two production lines. As for the return on investment from this expansion, it should be sizable based on just the number of commissions able to be expedited—six vehicles working through the assembly lines at once.
It all aligns with Wallace’s philosophy on meeting the company’s own self-imposed level of lofty expectations. “You only feel pressure if you haven’t got a plan,” he says. “It’s only pressure if you don’t know what you’re doing.” Considering the all-electric Defender 110 conversions and new Jaguar E-Type transformations, it’s safe to say that E.C.D. has some impressive plans in place.
Click here for more photos of E.C.D. Automotive Design’s Project Britton and new facility.
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