Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The Land Rover Defender 110 PHEV SUV
Land Rover is an iconic British brand, famed globally for its off-road and four-wheel drive vehicles. Land Rover is owned by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Automotive PLC, a leading luxury vehicle manufacturer with a distinctive reputation of being British and iconic. However the automotive company is now owned by the leading Indian industrial conglomerate, the Tata Group. The blue chip, India headquartered company is a leading player in the automotive sector via its Tata Motors subsidiary based in Mumbai. Tata acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company in 2008. JLR continues to conduct its operations from Coventry in the United Kingdom.
The Land Rover Defender is also an iconic British off-road vehicle. The 4×4 SUV has gained a global reputation for its off-road capability and high quality. The production of the iconic internal combustion engine (ICE) Defender stopped in January 2016. Nearly 2 million Defenders were sold globally, across seven decades. The all-new Land Rover Defender made its debut in 2019 and shares little with its predecessor, except a strong legacy and heritage.
The all-new Defender SUV is also available as a mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The Defender 110 PHEV is the first plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV) for this range. Deliveries of this rugged and versatile off-road SUV commenced in early 2021.
The plug-in Defender does not come cheap, however, financial savings can be achieved by taking advantage of the hybrid electric drivetrain. The EV has a 19.2 kWh onboard EV battery, which is a decent size, compared to the average PHEV battery. However, despite the larger EV battery, the available emission-free electric range is limited to 51 km (WLTP certified). This is not surprising, given the weight of the vehicle (2,600 kg), to include, the additional weight of the EV battery.
Expect the real-world electric range to be closer to 40 km, given that the range is impacted by a number of factors. Some factors include: driving profile, speed, passenger load, weather, road condition, wheel size and more. Moreover, the more the PHEV is driven on the e-mode, the better the overall efficiency of the electric vehicle. Land Rover claims a fuel economy up to 3.9 l/100 km. Like, EV range, expect the real-world fuel economy to be lower than the manufacturer claimed economy.
To leverage the benefits of electric driving, having a fully charged EV battery is imperative. The Defender PHEV can be charged up to 50 kW DC charging: 0%-80%: 30 minutes. Do keep in mind that not all plug-in electric cars are capable of DC fast charging. In all probability, on most occasions, the EV will be charged overnight at home. We at e-zoomed recommend the use of a dedicated EV charger for home charging and discourage the use of a 3-PIN domestic plug.
The myenergi zappi EV charger is a good example. The PHEV can be charged up to 100% in 2 hours and 30 minutes. We recommend a ‘topping up’ approach to EV charging. This way, the pure electric mode can be used more often and regular charging is also better for the long-term maintenance of the EV battery. Land Rover offers a warranty up to 6 years or 90,000 km.
In terms of performance, the Land Rover Defender P400e AWD PHEV does not disappoint. The EV pairs a 2.0-litre (4 cylinder) petrol combustion engine with an electric motor (105 kW). Despite the size and weight of the EV, acceleration is impressive: 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and a 191 km/h top speed (maximum power: 404 hp/ torque: 640 Nm). The drive is refined and in e-mode the ride quality is even better!
The Defender plug-in is certainly good looking and the interior is just as compelling, offering a high quality technology/ features-laden driving cockpit, to include: wireless charging, timed charging, keyless entry, Pivi Pro with connected navigation, 3D surround camera, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter, wade sensing, dynamic stability control, roll stability control and more. In terms of practicality, there is ample headroom and legroom for rear seat passengers and the boot space is 550L. The EV is only available as a five-door.
The EV has tailpipe emissions up to 71g (CO2/km).
PROS | CONS |
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Good looks, practical and spacious | Expensive when all options are considered |
Excellent off-road capabilities | Not as fuel-efficient as other PHEVs. High tailpipe emissions |
DC fast charging capability | Limited electric range |
The Land Rover Defender 110 Plug-In Hybrid (credit:JLR)
At A Glance | |
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EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
Body Type: | SUV |
Engine: | Electric/ Petrol |
Available In Ireland: | Yes |
Variants (6 Options) |
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Defender S (from € 87,411) |
Defender SE (from € 92,710) |
Defender X-Dynamic SE (from € 97,998) |
Defender XS Edition (from € 100,273) |
Defender X-Dynamic HSE (from € 105,647) |
Defender X (from € 126,111) |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
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EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 19.2 kWh |
Charging: | 50 kW DC charging: 0%-80%: 30 minutes. Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 2 hrs 30 mins) |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 71 -57g (CO2/km) |
Warranty: | 6 years or 90,000 km |
Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
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Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
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Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state-of-charge
Dimensions | |
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Height (mm): | 1967 |
Width (mm): | 2008 |
Length (mm): | 5018 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 3022 |
Turning Circle (m): | 12.8 |
Boot Space (L): | 550 |
P400e AWD Automatic PHEV | |
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EV Battery Capacity: | 19.2 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 51 km |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | N/A |
Fuel Consumption (l/100 km): | 3.3 – 3.9 |
Charging: | 50 kW DC charging: 0%-80%: 30 minutes. Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0%-100%: 2 hrs 30 mins) |
Top Speed: | 191 km/h |
0- 100 km/h: | 5.4 seconds |
Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
Electric Motor (kW): | 105 |
Max Power (HP): | 404 |
Torque (Nm): | 640 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Unladen Weight-EU (kg): | 2,613 |
Colours: | 10 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
History Of Electric Cars: Quick Facts
An electric vehicle (EV), also referred to as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is not a new invention or even an invention of modern times. Indeed, EVs were first developed more than a 100 years ago in the 19th century. Inventors from various countries, to include European countries and the United States, were the first to invest in electric motors and batteries. The first practical electric cars were built in the second half of the nineteenth century, with the first US electric car introduced in 1890. |
Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages. In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage. Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention. It was the beginning of man’s love affair with cars that has lasted more than a century and still going strong. |
However, the uptake of electric vehicles in the early 20th century was short-lived, as gasoline powered vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines (ICE) become the preferred mode of transportation. Bottom-line, manufactures chose internal combustion engines over electric cars in the early 1900s for various reasons, to include, the costs and production volumes. |
It is not definitive as to where EVs were invented or to credit a single inventor. However, one known electric motor (small-scale) was created in 1828 by Anyos Jedlik, a Hungarian inventor, engineer, physicist and Benedictine priest. Hungarians and Slovaks still consider him to be the unsung hero of the electric motor. |
Shortly after, between 1832 and 1839, a Scottish inventor Robert Anderson created a large electric motor to drive a carriage, powered by non-rechargeable primary power cells. Through the 19th century a number of inventors were inspired to develop electric motors to include, Thomas Davenport, an American from Vermont credited with building the first DC electric motor in America (1834). Unlike many of his contemporaries and other trying to build electric motors, Davenport did not have a background in either engineering or physics. In fact, he was a blacksmith. |
Move forward a few decades and at the end of the 19th century, William Morrison created what is believed to be the first practical electric vehicle. Morrison, another American from Des Moines, Iowa, was a chemist who became interested in electricity. He build the first electric vehicle in 1887 in a carriage built by the Des Moines Buggy Co. His first attempt was not a great success. In 1890, he attempted again, with more success. 12 EVs were built using a carriage built by the Shaver Carriage Company. |
The batteries were designed and developed by William Morrison. The vehicle had 24 batteries with an output of 112 amperes at 58 volts that took 10 hours to recharge. Available horsepower just under 4 horsepower. The vehicle could accommodate 6 individuals and had a top speed of 14 mph (22.50 km/h). |
Morrison’s success led to others also developing large-scale practical electric cars. At the turn of the century cities like New York had 60 electric taxis. The first decade witnessed strong popularity for electric vehicles. However the popularity was short-lived as internal combustion engine (ICE) gasoline powered vehicles replaced the early electric vehicles. Henry Fords success with the then ubiquitous Ford Model T was the ‘beginning of the end’ for electric vehicles. The Model T was cheaper than the prevailing electric cars (US$ 650 Vs US$ 1,750) and could be manufactured at scale. As they say — the rest is history. |
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