 | Home > Off Topic > Bollinger B1 Electric Defender replacement... |
 
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| Sockpuppet Member Since: 17 Sep 2011 Location: Leicester Posts: 479  
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If any car in the world will get a retrofit it would be the defender. Actually the defender may make a great elec vehicle base. If you removed the fuel tank, engine, transfer and gear box, prop shafts. The weight you would save would give you some serious battery space / weight. You could fit a lot of cells in between the frame rails. Ok the chassis is heavy but the body is already aluminium. You could bolt two motors directly to the axle diffs and have perm drive to all 4 wheels. It's like having the center diff locked but also being able to turn corners. |
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31st Jul 2017 8:04am |
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| bankz5152 Member Since: 02 Feb 2017 Location: South London/North Kent Posts: 2173 
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Really cannot fathom why anyone would think an electric Defender would be a good idea.
Current tech gives ~150 mile range, with the Defenders characteristics more like 75 miles. Great for a weekend laning when you have to stop every few hours to recharge, would barely get anywhere. Towing while leccy brings masses of instant torque it currently has no longevity so you could tow your trailer 50 miles before a several hour recharge Wading. Water and electricity do not mix. General off roading, as above but with mud and muck getting into the delicate systems plus you'd probably only get about an hour or two play before recharging. Overlanding. You'd only just get out of Kent before recharging and good luck elsewhere. Farm work. Useless Even if you got the best tech available today and fitted it you'd still have a pointless waste of time with a maximum of maybe 200 miles. The only thing it would be good for is going to the shops/school run. If thats what you use a Defender for then why did you buy one. The Defender is a "Go anywhere 4x4" turning it into an EV ruins everything it is. It would like having an EV tank. |
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31st Jul 2017 10:52am |
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| Sockpuppet Member Since: 17 Sep 2011 Location: Leicester Posts: 479
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Agree the tech is not there today, but one day it will be.
To replace diesel completely HGVs will need to find a power source as dense as diesel in battery / hydrogen form. When that happens the defender would be prime for conversion. Current state of the art lithium ion batteries are about 1/10th the energy density of carbon based fuel. Give an electric motor is 70% efficient and a petrol one 20% (at best) eventually I can see batteries that will fit into the same space as the fuel tank. As we'll need around a batter 1/4 as efficient as diesel to make it worth while. As for the other points they can all be overcome - I wouldn't say an electric defender is a bad idea due to all the edge cases mentioned. |
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31st Jul 2017 5:43pm |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006  
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This is missing a trick. Solar panels on the roof. An easy 100kw of space available if not way more. Suddenly the range is expanded making it practical. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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1st Aug 2017 4:27am |
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| bankz5152 Member Since: 02 Feb 2017 Location: South London/North Kent Posts: 2173
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Either way I can't imagine it will be cheap or easy to do. It's not the same as fitting a bigger engine
I'd rather keep the diesel or fit a petrol engine use the Defender for fun and buy something else to run around in. |
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1st Aug 2017 11:14am |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1426 
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I like the pass through for carrying long items. I wonder what else may be possible without the package constraints of a conventional engine and drivetrain.
A centre seat, forward control should be possible on the same platform, milk float style! That would give a big flat load bed for pallets or boxes. Maybe a drop side option. Camper conversion? Add on a beaver tail and you've got a recovery truck for Prius', Leafs and Teslas. I can't figure out why the winch is hydraulic. The added expense and complication of pumps and hoses can't be practical when an electric winch would do the job. They do need to sort the styling though, tidy it up a bit. Wether we like it or not, this is the way the world is going, eventually. My guess is there will be a hybrid version of the new Defender early in it's life. |
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1st Aug 2017 7:55pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1426
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Bankz,
"Farm work, useless" Why would an agricultural vehicle with 150 miles range be useless? Run it to the mart with a trailer, recharge while there (if necessary), run back to farm. |
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1st Aug 2017 8:09pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 03 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 5183
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it is one very ugly looking thing isn't it! Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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1st Aug 2017 9:37pm |
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| Setok Member Since: 16 Jan 2009 Location: Helsinki Posts: 422 
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Ugly? What drugs are you guys on? That is absolutely wonderful!! Yes, it's designed by a 5 year old. Basically the Defender was too. Clue: it was never designed. Basic box shape, keep things simple and modular, easy to repair. They've done a wonderful job utilising the benefits of an electric engine by rearranging the internal space and you will actually get better offroad ability with electric: two motors, lots of torque, but easy to control at all ranges.
True, the range is slightly limited but I desperately want one. Way more than anything in the Land Rover stable right now, and more than I'm likely to want the Defender replacement. |
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4th Aug 2017 1:45pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17427 
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^^ I am sure that with enough therapy and professional help you will eventually be able to make a good recovery!
 |
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4th Aug 2017 2:22pm |
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| bankz5152 Member Since: 02 Feb 2017 Location: South London/North Kent Posts: 2173
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I think Setok has had a bad stroke... That or has a brain disorder.
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4th Aug 2017 5:50pm |
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| Setok Member Since: 16 Jan 2009 Location: Helsinki Posts: 422
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What are you guys on about?
Portal axles Modular design Twin motor (fully manageable torque to both axles) Polyurethane floor panels for washability Battery weight low down to increase stability Massive approach and departure angles, and nothing to get broken underneath Adjustable suspension Large ground clearance Independent suspension with large axle articulation Smooth 0–100% torque Electric motors are actually simpler than diesel/petrol Riveted panels (easy replacement) Power takeoff from regular electricity plugs Front can open for long loads (genius!) Could theoretically wade to any depth without snorkel (if electrics are sealed) Acceleration and top speed for the commute Convertible to pickup Aluminium construction Square shaped for loads Nice rugged Defenderesque look This is the kind of vehicle Land Rover should be doing, and a true Defender for the 21st century. Top Gear has some more: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/electric/...le-road-ev Oh apologies, I didn't realise I had stumbled onto the wrong forum! Sorry, I don't need a haircut today. |
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4th Aug 2017 8:35pm |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006
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Don't worry about them, they can't see past their nostalgia for something you can no longer obtain and that in truth should have been abandoned back in the 1970s. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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4th Aug 2017 9:12pm |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17427
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Actually, when you look a bit deeper and see the thing in action in the several videos of it on YouTube, you have to admit that it is actually pretty impressive. Pretty, no, pretty impressive, definitely!
Its one major flaw is the very short range and the fact that it takes 7 hours to refuel. In every other respect it actually looks very good. |
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4th Aug 2017 9:36pm |
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