In order to electrify currently operational military Land Rovers for the British Army, defence company Babcock International has established a new partnership with EV conversion specialist Electrogenic. The company received a one-year contract from the UK Ministry of Defense.
Using a modified battery system and a drop-in kit, four in-service Land Rovers, two protected and two general service, will be converted. However, the real hard work will begin after that. The Land Rovers will be given to the Armored Trials and Development Unit (ATDU) so that they can be put through a variety of typical military and battlefield scenarios once they are running on electric power.
The very serious-sounding Managing Director of Engineering and Systems Integration – Land for Babcock, Chris Spicer, stated: The British Army will be able to extend the life of its Land Rovers as diesel becomes obsolete by investigating alternative engine technology at this great opportunity. I can’t wait to see how the hybrid and diesel-powered Land Rover perform in a test environment.
“We are happy to be working with Babcock, and we’re enormously glad to put our market-driving EV innovation to a definitive test with the English Armed force,” said Electrogenic prime supporter Steve Drummond.
The MOD will benefit from the electric Land Rovers as it prepares to switch to electric vehicles in 2030, with a larger objective of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
