The Future of Off-Roaders: Land Rover's Defender Evie Prototype
As we sit on board what could well be the future of off-roaders, it's essential to start with a little history. This is one of the very first production cars Land Rover ever made, and as we can see, simple design are always the most iconic. Inside, there are very few creature comforts - I have a steering wheel, Griese, and a horn, that's pretty much it. However, this simple formula has proved spectacularly versatile over the Defender's 65-year history. From lightweight machines that the military chucked out of planes to rapid response vehicles favored by special forces in the desert, to tracked off-roaders loved by explorers, this classic machine has been a staple in many industries.
The latest version of Land Rover's iconic machine is the Defender Evie prototype, and it may look like a standard defender underneath but it's fizzing with electronic technology that I'm about to poke through. This is the Defender Evie prototype, and it's powered by a 340 'm iron battery pack with a 60-mile range. The freaky thing is the lack of noise - it's just so bizarre, well, there is some noise like oh, that's of a whining, a little bit of clunking, not what I expect from a Defender. I'm taking it round a course designed to test every aspect of a four-by-four to see how well electric technology works operate.
Now, it's like waiting for somebody to bang a balloon in your face - we go tipping it, and it's tilting the electric Defender. Actually, producing less torque than the diesel version but as it has no gears driving over rough terrain is incredibly easy. Here come the elephant's footprints that show the axle articulation - our massive hole, come on, absolutely tasting there's no air suspension to cushion you or make it nice and soft - it's just it is what it is, but that's very impressive.
The car has an amazing ability to tow it pulls 12 tons up a 13% incline during tests. I want to see how well it goes downhill this hill - I'm in the modern art setting and have got the hill descent control on so I'm going to go over the top, I'm gonna go over the top, I am going to go over the top oh my gosh little bit of break of the top just a second it and then just half a. Oh my feet were totally off all the pedals there we'll just let the car take me down oh it's such a freaky experience and I didn't cry Oh TIFF and Jason huh who's laughing now you know what they say about water and electricity not mixing.
The final challenge was the river crossing, fingers crossed hey we're entering the swamp. I do a gentle entry and then a little bit of speed this car will go into depths of 800 millimeters which is just as well if the swamp is 500 millimeters or half a meter deep now a normal Defender will only go to 500 millimeters so this is superior by 300 mil it feels like it's coming up right to the edge of the bonnet. The reason that this will wave deeper is because there's no engine, so there's no worries about an air intake and we're out the other side like you breathe and relax fantastic - a Defender and batteries are a match made in heaven, it's easier to control than a diesel and works better in water.
Right now, it's being used as a green alternative to farm and Safari vehicles. And if new battery technology improves its 60-mile range, it could replace the vast array of diesel Defenders used in armies across the world. Where this four-wheel drive helps so much these conditions - in that when you power it into a corner first the rear goes out would you want but then we did a final run with it disabled turn it the other way well I've done it the other way who
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enyou're sitting on board what could well be the future of off-roaders but before I reveal what this special land rover is all about we need to start with a little history this is one of the very first production cars Land Rover ever made and it shows that simple design are always the most iconic inside there are very few creature comforts I have a steering wheel Griese and a horn and that's pretty much it but it was a winning formula that has proved spectacularly versatile over the defenders 65 year history from lightweight machines that the military chucked out of planes to the rapid response vehicles favored by special forces in the desert to the tracked off-roaders loved by explorers this is the latest version of Land Rovers classic machine and whilst it may look like a standard defender underneath it's fizzing with electronic technology that I'm about to poke through a high-voltage test this is the defender Evie prototype and it's powered by a 340 'm iron battery pack with a 60 mile range the freaky thing is the lack of noise it's just so bizarre well there is some noise like oh that's of a whining a little bit of a clunking not what I expect from a defender I'm taking it round a course designed to test every aspect of a four by four to see how well electric technology works operate now it's like waiting for somebody to bang a balloon in your face there we go tipping it it's tilting the electric defender actually produces less torque than the diesel version but as it has no gears driving over rough terrain is incredibly easy here come the elephant's footprints that shows the axle articulation our massive hole come on absolutely tasting there's no air suspension to cushion you or make it nice and soft it's just it is what it is but that's very impressive I kept the power on and the power was always there that talk is really good the car has an amazing ability to tow it pulls 12 tons up a 13% incline during tests but I want to see how well it goes downhill this hill I'm about to descend is so steep that you wouldn't be able to walk down it I'm in the modern art setting and I've got the hill descent control on so I'm going to go over the top I'm gonna go over the top I am going to go over the top oh my gosh little bit of break of the top just a second it and then just half a oh my feet were totally off all the pedals there we'll just let the car take me down oh it's such a freaky experience and I didn't cry Oh TIFF and Jason huh who's laughing now you know what they say about water and electricity not mixing the final challenge was the river crossing fingers crossed hey we're entering the swamp I do a gentle entry and then a little bit of speed this car will go into depths of 800 millimeters which is just as well if the swamp is 500 millimeters or half a metre deep now a normal defender will only go to 500 millimetres so this is superior by 300 mil it feels like it's coming up right to the edge of the bonnet the reason that this will wave deeper is because there's no engine so there's no worries about an air intake and we're out the other side like you breathe and relax fantastic a defender and batteries are a match made in heaven it's easier to control than a diesel and works better in water right now it's being used as a green alternative to farm and Safari vehicles and if new battery technology improves its 60 mile range it could replace the vast array of diesel defenders used in armies across the world now where this four-wheel drive helps so much these conditions in that when you power it into a corner first the rear goes out would you want but then we did a final run with it disabled turn it the other way well I've done it the other way whoyou're sitting on board what could well be the future of off-roaders but before I reveal what this special land rover is all about we need to start with a little history this is one of the very first production cars Land Rover ever made and it shows that simple design are always the most iconic inside there are very few creature comforts I have a steering wheel Griese and a horn and that's pretty much it but it was a winning formula that has proved spectacularly versatile over the defenders 65 year history from lightweight machines that the military chucked out of planes to the rapid response vehicles favored by special forces in the desert to the tracked off-roaders loved by explorers this is the latest version of Land Rovers classic machine and whilst it may look like a standard defender underneath it's fizzing with electronic technology that I'm about to poke through a high-voltage test this is the defender Evie prototype and it's powered by a 340 'm iron battery pack with a 60 mile range the freaky thing is the lack of noise it's just so bizarre well there is some noise like oh that's of a whining a little bit of a clunking not what I expect from a defender I'm taking it round a course designed to test every aspect of a four by four to see how well electric technology works operate now it's like waiting for somebody to bang a balloon in your face there we go tipping it it's tilting the electric defender actually produces less torque than the diesel version but as it has no gears driving over rough terrain is incredibly easy here come the elephant's footprints that shows the axle articulation our massive hole come on absolutely tasting there's no air suspension to cushion you or make it nice and soft it's just it is what it is but that's very impressive I kept the power on and the power was always there that talk is really good the car has an amazing ability to tow it pulls 12 tons up a 13% incline during tests but I want to see how well it goes downhill this hill I'm about to descend is so steep that you wouldn't be able to walk down it I'm in the modern art setting and I've got the hill descent control on so I'm going to go over the top I'm gonna go over the top I am going to go over the top oh my gosh little bit of break of the top just a second it and then just half a oh my feet were totally off all the pedals there we'll just let the car take me down oh it's such a freaky experience and I didn't cry Oh TIFF and Jason huh who's laughing now you know what they say about water and electricity not mixing the final challenge was the river crossing fingers crossed hey we're entering the swamp I do a gentle entry and then a little bit of speed this car will go into depths of 800 millimeters which is just as well if the swamp is 500 millimeters or half a metre deep now a normal defender will only go to 500 millimetres so this is superior by 300 mil it feels like it's coming up right to the edge of the bonnet the reason that this will wave deeper is because there's no engine so there's no worries about an air intake and we're out the other side like you breathe and relax fantastic a defender and batteries are a match made in heaven it's easier to control than a diesel and works better in water right now it's being used as a green alternative to farm and Safari vehicles and if new battery technology improves its 60 mile range it could replace the vast array of diesel defenders used in armies across the world now where this four-wheel drive helps so much these conditions in that when you power it into a corner first the rear goes out would you want but then we did a final run with it disabled turn it the other way well I've done it the other way who\n"
