► Yorkshire-based Defender tuner Twisted offers EV
► 200 miles of range, with serious off-road ability
► Conversion takes two weeks and £70k or so
The new Land Rover Defender may be a great leap forward in terms of technology and clean running, but for a zero-emissions Defender you need to turn to Yorkshire-based tuners Twisted. The new Twisted NAS-E is the brand’s latest creation.
It’s been ‘re-engineering’ Defenders for nearly 20 years, with the focus usually on getting more from the engines and the chassis.
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But now there’s the option to go for a pure-electric powertrain, thanks to a tie-up with Dutch electrification specialist Plower. The Twisted NAS-E ditches the engine and gearbox, but keeps the classic four-wheel drive and switchable high/low final drives.
Power comes from a 60kWh battery making 214bhp and 280lb ft of torque, or 320bhp and 339lb ft if you go for the NAS-E Plus. Twisted promises that on- and off-road performance will be similar to internal-combustion Defenders, but with no tailpipe emissions and no noise.
Elsewhere, the conversion includes ABS and traction control, custom suspension and brakes with six-piston calipers. There are interior upgrades, too; a touchscreen infotainment system, leather-upholstered seats from Alston, reversing camera and an eight-speaker audio system are included.
Gareth Hamer, general manager of the EV project, says: ‘Our solution is completely engineered from the ground up using the highest quality new automotive components. The system is ready to be deployed at scale internationally and is very different from the “home-brew” style of electrification.’
The conversion fits 90, 110 and 130 versions of the Defender. In the UK, the work is done in Bristol; US customers get the job done in Virginia. Conversion prices start at £70,000 – that’s on top of your Defender.
Twisted is continuing with internal-combustion Defender tuning and upgrading, and is also involved in a desert racer project that involves its own chassis rather than old Land Rover hardware.
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