Inverted Range Rover Classic

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【Summary】Summary: An article discusses the conversion of a classic Range Rover into an electric vehicle. The car, originally a diesel, now runs on a Tesla battery pack and motor, allowing for a range of 200 miles. The conversion involved reconditioning and strengthening the propshafts and axles to handle the motor's 450bhp.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 5:37 PM PT

When it comes to converting classic cars to electric, one main consideration for purists is whether the car had a good engine in the first place. For example, if it's a Citroën DS or a V12 Ferrari Daytona, the idea of converting them to electric may not be well-received by enthusiasts.

However, what about a classic Range Rover? While the V8 engine sound is appealing, is it truly essential to the car's character? Interestingly, this particular Range Rover was originally manufactured as a diesel in 1990. Inverted's conversion process involves taking a carefully restored shell and incorporating low-mileage Tesla components.

The car is powered by an 80kWh Tesla Model S battery pack, which has been divided into nine modules under the bonnet and six modules in the smaller boot. This configuration allows for a potential range of 200 miles, as long as one avoids motorways. Considering the vintage aerodynamics, this is quite impressive. Although the car no longer operates like a Tesla at supercharger stations, it can still be rapidly charged at a slower speed of 75kW.

While many electric conversions still utilize the original gearbox, Inverted has placed a single Tesla motor in the location where the gearbox and transfer case used to be. By orienting the motor longitudinally, it can now drive the propshafts connected to the front and rear live axles. These axles have been reinforced to handle the motor's 450bhp.