It’s likely impossible to move on safari in Africa while not having any environmental impact in any respect — particularly at the ones where shooting things is involved — but it really is certainly a step within the right direction. Battery manufacturer Axeon has teamed up with Jaguar Land Rover South Africa to provide animal watchers / hunters a greener thanks to get around, outfitting the Defender 110 High Capacity Pick Up with a battery pack where the diesel engine usually goes. The hot power source cuts out the car’s emissions and silences the engine, making it easier to sneak up on wildlife. This idea vehicle (not Rover’s first try and green things up ) is debuting on the INDABA trade extravaganza this week in South Africa, so now often is the time to alert any antelope to your life.
Quiet debut for electric Land Rover DefenderAxeon has worked closely with Jaguar Land Rover South Africa to supply an all-electric version of its iconic Defender model to be used in game parks, minimising both environmental and noise pollution.
The battery system produced by Axeon, Europe’s leading independent developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion battery systems, was suited to a Land Rover Defender 110 High Capacity Pick Up in preference to the usual 2.4-litre diesel engine.
Unlike many electric vehicle battery packs which are positioned inside the floor of the vehicle, the Axeon pack was designed to slot into the vehicle’s engine bay with a view to maintain ground clearance and wading height for this unique vehicle.
The bespoke battery system also incorporates Axeon’s proprietary Battery Management System (BMS), which monitors the battery state, measuring and controlling key operational parameters, thus ensuring safety – particularly important for an electrical vehicle that will encounter harsh conditions.
The replacement of the engine implies that the production vehicle’s tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions of 295g/km has been reduced to zero and the electrical Defender can be ready to operate very quietly. In testing the variety was shown to manage to three times a regular game drive on a single charge.
The fast development timescale of the battery was achieved by deploying Axeon’s accumulated experience within the design and manufacture of lithium-ion battery systems, and by working actively with engineers from both Land Rover and their South African partner Barker Performance Products.
The electrical Defender was received well by experienced Land Rover drivers, including those from the official Land Rover Experience, and it has performed exceptionally well at the rigorous and gruelling Gerotek test facility. In testing, the vehicle has also been capable of catch up with to animals in the game park thanks to its much quieter operation.
Whilst the electrical Defender have been designed specifically for the sport park sector, there are lots of other potential applications for one of these vehicle, where reducing environmental and/or noise emissions are a concern.
The electrical Defender was launched as an idea vehicle at INDABA, one in all Africa’s largest tourism events, held in Durban, South Africa, from 7th to 10th May 2011.
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