overdrawn · Oct 28, 2020

I am interested in converting my 1990 200tdi to an electric version. However, I have no interest in the £80k versions that give you a 0-60 time of five seconds, and so on. That wasn't what I was looking for when I bought a Defender.

The 200tdi originally delivered 109hp and 188lb.ft of torque. A Nissan Leaf engine apparently delivers 110hp and 210 lb.ft of torque. Leaving aside issues of range and so on, does anyone have any idea if fitting a Leaf engine into a Defender, plugging into the transfer box, could work? It seems a lot simpler than putting a scary powerful engine in which then demands upgrades to brakes, axles and so on. Which almost certainly means that I've missed something obvious.

marjon · Oct 28, 2020

I would think it’s highly doable.

Take a wander into the freelancer section 1 of the members is doing similar to a hippo but you may get some tips/ideas from that.

J

flat · Oct 28, 2020

Don’t know. But that sounds very interesting. Like for like power wide is a good move, lots of space for the batteries in a defender to

Hicap phill · Oct 28, 2020

Here may be of some help

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/freelander-ev.360880/

Henry_b · Oct 28, 2020

Conversions can be done at home if you're competent enough for around 20K.

That is if you want a Defender with more than 50mi Range, remember a Defender weighs quite a bit more than a leaf

Zed. · Oct 28, 2020

fitting an electric motor is easy, the controllers & batteries are the isue....

https://forums.aeva.asn.au/viewforum.php?f=33&sid=7558095292fa6e50d97d8fe1b587f8c0

have a read for ideas

Rich.

mick 1986 · Oct 28, 2020

overdrawn said:
I am interested in converting my 1990 200tdi to an electric version. However, I have no interest in the £80k versions that give you a 0-60 time of five seconds, and so on. That wasn't what I was looking for when I bought a Defender.

The 200tdi originally delivered 109hp and 188lb.ft of torque. A Nissan Leaf engine apparently delivers 110hp and 210 lb.ft of torque. Leaving aside issues of range and so on, does anyone have any idea if fitting a Leaf engine into a Defender, plugging into the transfer box, could work? It seems a lot simpler than putting a scary powerful engine in which then demands upgrades to brakes, axles and so on. Which almost certainly means that I've missed something obvious.

https://www.copart.co.uk/lot/49456100/clean-title-2018-nissan-leaf-tekna-sandy

bluedog333 · Oct 28, 2020

You could call it a Nissan Leak.
BaDumTssss.

Shippers · Oct 28, 2020

What if you do the conversion do you do at MOT time...have you read the hoops the builder of the 6 wheel Discovery is going through on here...

Hicap phill · Oct 29, 2020

Shippers said:
What if you do the conversion do you do at MOT time...have you read the hoops the builder of the 6 wheel Discovery is going through on here...

I think he has to SVA the 6 wheeler as it’s modified chassis/body/engine & due to the points system used. If it’s just an engine swap you may be fine.

there must be some rules regarding the use of high voltage in motors & fitting them ?

Shippers · Oct 29, 2020

Hicap phill said:
there must be some rules regarding the use of high voltage in motors & fitting them ?

I think there is regarding cable routing and I'm not sure how an inspector with no experience would view a conversion...

300bhp/ton · Oct 29, 2020

Hicap phill said:
I think he has to SVA the 6 wheeler as it’s modified chassis/body/engine & due to the points system used. If it’s just an engine swap you may be fine.

there must be some rules regarding the use of high voltage in motors & fitting them ?

You’d still have to be mindful. Changing the engine and gearbox to a leccy motor would dock points. And you may have to modify the steering too as you’d no longer have an engine to run the PAS. Which would dock more points.

Also technically the regs specify “any welding” would result in an IVA being needed. So if you weld in mounts or crossmembers for the motor or electrical system/batteries. You’d technically be needing this. Bolt in items should be fine, according to the wording.

Ultimately I’d suspect it might be quite a grey area on how legal the whole thing really was.

overdrawn · Oct 29, 2020

300bhp/ton said:
Ultimately I’d suspect it might be quite a grey area on how legal the whole thing really was.

I expect that paying an established firm £80k could fix this problem

Thanks for the info, everyone. I may have to put this on my 'To do in 2025' list.

Colthebrummie · Oct 29, 2020

A defender is surely much heavier than a Nissan Leaf, if you use a Leaf motor you will not get the same power specs on the road. I was watching a programme on the telly the other day where a company were converting an original Fiat 500 to leccy. They made up a plate so that the leccy motor could bolt straight to the flywheel via the clutch so that the gears were retained. The motor wasn't all that big and neither were the batteries. Apparently, it handled just as well as before but was much nippier and it had a range of 60 miles (claimed)

Col

mick 1986 · Oct 29, 2020

Colthebrummie said:
A defender is surely much heavier than a Nissan Leaf, if you use a Leaf motor you will not get the same power specs on the road. I was watching a programme on the telly the other day where a company were converting an original Fiat 500 to leccy. They made up a plate so that the leccy motor could bolt straight to the flywheel via the clutch so that the gears were retained. The motor wasn't all that big and neither were the batteries. Apparently, it handled just as well as before but was much nippier and it had a range of 60 miles (claimed)

Col

The power of the motor is a spec, it doesn’t matter what it’s put in. I agree the defender is much heavier and won’t get anywhere near the mileage the leaf does, but the spec of the motor is so close to the 200TDi that it should drive essentially the same, except it will accelerate quicker due to the torque.

I would imagine it’s not that difficult to couple the motor to the gearbox input shaft, or make an adaptor so the motor output shaft goes straight into the transferbox input gear. Making the motor do what the right foot is asking it, will be difficult, especially when you consider the “single pedal” driving of the leaf.

300bhp/ton · Oct 29, 2020

overdrawn said:
I am interested in converting my 1990 200tdi to an electric version. However, I have no interest in the £80k versions that give you a 0-60 time of five seconds, and so on. That wasn't what I was looking for when I bought a Defender.

The 200tdi originally delivered 109hp and 188lb.ft of torque. A Nissan Leaf engine apparently delivers 110hp and 210 lb.ft of torque. Leaving aside issues of range and so on, does anyone have any idea if fitting a Leaf engine into a Defender, plugging into the transfer box, could work? It seems a lot simpler than putting a scary powerful engine in which then demands upgrades to brakes, axles and so on. Which almost certainly means that I've missed something obvious.

I’m not against EV’s. But my issue here is the “why” bit?

Whatever you do it will likely cost a fortune. So there is no financial saving to be had.

And the reality is. Performance is likely to be an issue. The original Leaf was about the same speed as a Tdi 90. So despite the figures, putting that motor into the 90 is going to end up with it under performing. And I imagine runtime/range is likely to be a real issue. Wasn’t there a TG episode last year or so with a used Leaf and it only had a 35 mile range in a small 2wd car!

And I’m not convinced by any ecological reasons.

overdrawn · Oct 30, 2020

300bhp/ton said:
I’m not against EV’s. But my issue here is the “why” bit?

Whatever you do it will likely cost a fortune. So there is no financial saving to be had.

And the reality is. Performance is likely to be an issue. The original Leaf was about the same speed as a Tdi 90. So despite the figures, putting that motor into the 90 is going to end up with it under performing. And I imagine runtime/range is likely to be a real issue. Wasn’t there a TG episode last year or so with a used Leaf and it only had a 35 mile range in a small 2wd car!

And I’m not convinced by any ecological reasons.

I'm looking to the future. I may not believe the eco BS (how many SUV's did the Neanderthals have to drive to end the last Ice Age?), but people in power do, so I think the days of a dirty diesel are limited. It's going to become impossible to drive the thing, probably due to the taxes on fuel or the road tax. So, I'm looking for an electric alternative, and can't afford a new one.

300bhp/ton · Oct 30, 2020

I really doubt the Government would legislate the "voting public" off the roads on mass.

Turboman · Oct 30, 2020

300bhp/ton said:
I really doubt the Government would legislate the "voting public" off the roads on mass.

I certainly wouldn't bank on that. They had no problem legislating the voting public off the roads en masse due to Coronavirus.

And if the Opposition intend to do the same thing, or even more so, it isn't necessarily a vote loser.

Turboman · Oct 30, 2020

overdrawn said:
I am interested in converting my 1990 200tdi to an electric version. However, I have no interest in the £80k versions that give you a 0-60 time of five seconds, and so on. That wasn't what I was looking for when I bought a Defender.

The 200tdi originally delivered 109hp and 188lb.ft of torque. A Nissan Leaf engine apparently delivers 110hp and 210 lb.ft of torque. Leaving aside issues of range and so on, does anyone have any idea if fitting a Leaf engine into a Defender, plugging into the transfer box, could work? It seems a lot simpler than putting a scary powerful engine in which then demands upgrades to brakes, axles and so on. Which almost certainly means that I've missed something obvious.

Do you need the transfer box? From memory, the torque curve of electric motors is flat throughout the rev range, they produce the same torque at 1 rpm as they do at full revs.
There are a few other issues to think about. For example, an electric motor doesn't produce any vacuum, so the brake servo would need to be powered by something else.

I think it is a good idea. I don't think the electric motor would be a problem, the problem would be where to carry the batteries without adversely affecting the weight distribution.

And I would certainly be looking into the legalities of registering and using such a vehicle before starting on a conversion.
It must be possible, as there are many companies that convert classic cars to electric drive already.

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