EV Swaps for Defenders Are Coming to the US

• UK-based Electrogenic partners with two US specialists to offer EV conversions for the Land Rover Defender, Jaguar E-Type, Triumph Stag, and Porsche 911.

• Electrogenic's conversion kit for the Land Rover Defender is meant to be easily installed by a mechanic, trading its engine for a battery and attaching an electric motor to the existing clutch bell housing.

• Two shops, one in Vermont and one in Texas, will offer EV conversions based on Electrogenic's kits.

There is something of a cottage industry in the UK for converting classic cars to electric power, whether to give older vehicles—from classic Austin Minis to Land Rovers—a new lease on life or just spice up an urban runabout. But for a number of reasons, these vehicles have been tough to import to the US.

That's about to change as one of the EV conversion specialists, Electrogenic, has partnered with two US companies to carry out conversions here in the US based on the company's own kits.

Oxford-based Electrogenic has teamed up with TATC, based in Vermont, as well as Xerbera in Texas, to convert Land Rover Defenders as well as the Jaguar E-Type, Triumph Stag, and Porsche 911 models to electric power using its "drop-in" EV conversion kits.

"We've been inundated with enquiries from North America since we first revealed the kits, which convert automotive icons to sophisticated EV power, so we're delighted to have such fantastic partners serving customers across the pond," said Steve Drummond, co-founder of Electrogenic.

Electrogenic's conversion kit for the Defender, for instance, is designed to be installed by a suitably qualified mechanic rather than some large specialist shop, and is meant to bolt in with minimal modifications to the interior. In the case of the Defender, an electric motor is bolted to the existing clutch bell housing, serving up 120 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. The engine bay, meanwhile, receives a 52-kWh battery in place of the engine, with this setup designed to deliver 100 miles of range.

This type of conversion is meant to keep old Defenders that are in farm use running in the UK, so it's not aimed at setting any range records. But Electrogenic has other options for those who want to use a Defender as more of a lifestyle vehicle.

The price tag of this type of conversion was quoted to be around $30,000 in the UK, though US-specific pricing by the two shops has not yet been announced.

The Jaguar E-Type, meanwhile, will be offered with a choice of three batteries, with the largest 62-kWh unit promising a range of over 200 miles.

Electrogenic's choice of two kits for the Porsche 911 both use 62-kWh batteries, and serve up between 214 and 321 hp, depending on which version you choose. Both are quoted with ranges of 180 to 200 miles, but the more powerful version also promises 0 to 60 launch times of just 3.8 seconds.

"In TATC and Xerbera we have two partners whose values are very much aligned with ours; they both place quality of workmanship and customer service front and center in what they do," Drummond added. "They also share our broader vision; they're both driven to convert these wonderful, iconic vehicles to run on clean, sustainable electricity."

Details for each type of conversion are available on Electrogenic's website.