ECD Automotive Design restores and modifies Land Rover Defender SUVs. They take Land Rover Defenders and rebuild and modernize them from the ground up with better than new components. Their newest build combines the Land Rover Defender body with a Tesla all-electric powertrain. But, how does it compare with the soon-coming Bollinger electric truck?

A little history

ECD Automotive Design built its reputation on restoring Land Rovers. But, no two Land Rovers they work on are the same, making them a bespoke boutique manufacturer of sorts. They don’t focus on reproducing their efforts. Instead, they focus on making each vehicle build better than the last one. 

The latest creation from ECD Automotive is an effort to show their skills at converting the traditional gasoline or diesel-powered Land Rover Defender into an all-electric go-anywhere SUV. This will provide overlanding customers the opportunity to enjoy theoretically maintenance-free offroad capability, but at the same time, use a smaller carbon footprint on the environment. 

The Tesla Motor Direct unit is the basis for that all-electric drivetrain ECD Automotive builds upon. The old-school V8 is gone. The Land Rover Defender is not a lightweight beast, but the electric drivetrain is still able to put down some impressive numbers.

The Specifications

• 0-to-60 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds
• A full 100 kWh charge of power will yield a driving range of 220 miles
• Charge time is estimated at 5 hours

Interior

The interior of the vehicle is made to order. It can be as plush or as spartan as desired. Selections are available for different color leather, diamond-stitched seating surfaces, different types of seating, a modern infotainment system, and the list goes on. 

Comparison

Comparisons can’t be helped, though. The Bollinger B1 will be coming to the market at the end of 2021. It is also an electric powertrain driven vehicle with square styling similar to the ECD creation.

Price points are also the same for the Bollinger B1 and the ECD Automotive Electric Defender. Bollinger’s B1 has aluminum body panels, does zero-to-sixty in 4.5 seconds, and will come with 120 kWh or 150 kWh options that will charge to 80% in an hour. The interior of the Bollinger model is a lot more spartan.

Target pricing at launch for the B1 is expected to be $150,000. The ECD Automotive Electric Defender does not have a price listed on its website or on its configurator page for the model. However, based on pricing for other models they create, expect pricing to be similar to the Bollinger. Probably even more expensive.

Keep in mind, however, that since the ECD Automotive Electric Defender is a bespoke product, pricing could change very quickly depending on how it is outfitted to satisfy the refined tastes of the purchaser.

The electric truck and SUV world is on fire with companies hurrying to invade the space. Hummer, Rivian, Tesla, Bollinger, and now ECD Automotive are all looking to get in early and take the largest market share while they can. The electric vehicle panacea is creating a tidal wave of competitors early in the race.

That’s a good thing for consumers. It means that competitors will be trying to out-do each other and will quickly find out what works for the customer and what does not work within the relative price points.

Slowly but surely, the products the consumer prefers will rise to the top. Or in this case, silently climb to the top of the mountain in an electric offroad truck or SUV. Right now to take a Bollinger for a spartan ride, or the ECD Automotive Design electric Land Rover Defender to be in the lap of luxury.