A classic Land Rover Defender sounds like a great idea until you’re faced with the realities of this tractor for the road. Ergonomics, designed for the army, a series of gas and diesel engines that produce more noise and smoke than they do forward motion. It’s no wonder that a growing number of companies are transforming them into something a little more pleasant. Even JLR itself has gotten on board.
- Base Trim Engine
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2.0L Turbo Inline-4 Gas
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-Speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Four-Wheel Drive
The latest comes from established Defender restomod company Monarch Defender and electric vehicle retrofitter Bedeo. Yes, you’ve probably already guessed it. This is an electric Defender with in-wheel motors that give it more power (and probably more range) than when it left the factory in Solihull.
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Bedeo’s bread and butter is electric trucks and vans. It started building OE-level electric vehicles for PSA (Peugeot and Citroen before they became part of Stellantis) in 2019, adding electric drivelines to the group’s light commercial vehicles. But, using its in-wheel motor tech, it also electrifies other vehicles for customers. That includes adding electrification to some classic icons. Like the Defender.
Bedeo puts a 75 kWh battery pack under the floor of the vintage Landie. It then adds four electric motors with a total of 483 horsepower. The motors can be individually controlled, potentially giving it far more traction and control off-road than any combustion engine and transfer case 4×4 system. That’s the reason Mercedes-Benz elected to use the same configuration in its electric G-Class.
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The pack gives this beast up to 153 miles of range. It can charge up from 0-100% SOC in five hours from a Level 2 plug or 0-80% in 45 minutes on a 50 kW Level 3. No, that’s not a huge range, but it’s probably as much time as you’d want to spend in any Defender without a break.
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That said, this Defender is a lot nicer than most, thanks to Monarch Defender. The Iowa-based company builds, restores, and customizes the old Rovers. Normally, it uses one of GM’s LS3 V8 engines to power its creations (like the one in the photos above), but this EV promises cleaner, greener, and silent operation. Which is a very different off-road experience.
Monarch’s near-$300k creations have names like The Old Money and Nessie. They also have suspension lifts with Fox shocks, stronger axles (though not on the axle-less EVs), bigger brakes, and, importantly, nicer interiors.
New seats with modern heating and ventilation, power windows, leather, teak flooring, and other creature comforts you won’t find in a factory (old) Defender make this a much more pleasant place to be.
As a brand rooted in heritage, design, and experience, we’ve always believed the Defender deserves to evolve with purpose. We’ve also always aimed to elevate the Defender, not just restore it, and so partnering with Bedeo allows us to take the first step toward electrification in a way that aligns with our values and our customers’ growing appetite for sustainability – without sacrificing what makes these vehicles so iconic.
– Akif Keskin of Monarch Defender
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Monarch Defender said that it will start taking orders in July. It will have full customization for customers and “global support.” The company hasn’t announced pricing, but the first Defenders with in-wheel motors anywhere are likely not going to be cheap.
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