Electromods of sought-after classics are hitting us like a storm in recent years but what if a similar treatment was applied to old military vehicles? The project Lurcher of the British Army is doing exactly that, fitting diesel-hungry off-roaders with zero-emission powertrains in order to test the benefits and challenges of electric mobility in this sector.
The UK’s Ministry of Defense signed a one-year contract with Babcock International, a British firm offering aerospace, defense, and nuclear engineering services. In collaboration with Electrogenic, which specializes in reversible EV conversions, they will turn four military-spec Land Rover Defender units into electric vehicles.
Among the four Land Rovers which are still in service, there are two protected vehicles and two general service vehicles. All of them are powered by old diesel engines which will soon become obsolete as the world will enter the zero-emission era. For this reason, the British Army is trying to find new ways of extending the lifecycle of its aging fleet, while discovering the “defense application and constraints of electric propulsion”.
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The modifications include a “drop-in kit” and a “modified battery system” that will replace the original diesel engine. The electric powertrain will not only be cleaner and more efficient but will also offer an increased power output. It remains to be seen if the battery pack will allow a sufficient range for military applications, and whether charging times will affect the operational status of the vehicles.
Following the conversion, the Land Rover EVs will be tested by the Armoured Trials and Development Unit (ATDU) “in a series of experimental battlefield / military scenarios”. The goal is for the British Army to assess the EV’s performance “over steep terrain, wading and towing”, in various climate conditions.
According to Corporal Bryan Munce from the ATDU, among the considerations explored in the trials will be “mobility performance, exportable power, and cost reduction”. Chris Spicer, Babcock’s Managing Director of Engineering and Systems Integration, revealed that the electric vehicles will be tested against diesel and hybrid equivalents. Steve Drummond, the co-founder of Electrogenic, believes that their EV conversion kit for Land Rovers is the “ideal fit for military vehicles”.
