Jaunt electric Range Rover conversion driven
Car ‘conversions’ which can cost around $400k are fast becoming the new must-have for the mega-rich.
Jaunt’s Land Rover looks like a classic four-wheel-drive that someone pulled out of a barn and pressed into service as a daily driver.
But there are a few clues that suggest there is something special to this 1958 model.
It’s cleaner than expected, and there’s no scent of fuel or oil as you approach its tarnished bodywork.
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There are no rips or tears in the distressed leather seats, the seatbelts are modern units, and the long gear stalk of a classic example has been replaced by an elegant gear selector that might have been borrowed from a plane.
There’s no rumble under the bonnet when you twist the key, and puff of soot from the tailpipe.
Because the owner of this Land Rover is one of a growing number of Aussie drivers to have converted their car to run on electricity.
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Jaunt co-founder Dave Budge says the Melbourne-based business has attracted people who want classic style without getting their hands dirty.
“The most common customer we have is actually someone who’s never owned a classic car before,” he said.
“They’ve always maybe loved them, but they don’t know how to work on engines and they maybe don’t want to. They just want all of the cool shape and charm and fun, but to not have to worry about it.”
Jaunt’s details are beautiful.
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There’s warmth and texture to the worn patina of its paintwork, and what appear to be rusty old rivets are actually modern hex-head bolts that have been hand-aged to complete the look.
Naturally, there is no touchscreen, sat nav or reversing camera.
They wouldn’t fit the vibe.
A 3D-printed cupholder is one of a few concessions to modernity.
The driving experience is a breath of fresh air compared to modern machinery. The little Land Rover feels a bit like riding a motorcycle – you’re more exposed to your surroundings, and have outstanding 360-degree vision uninterrupted by the fat pillars of modern cars.
It goes like a bike too.
Fuelled by a 55kWh battery pack that sends juice to a 210kW motor, Jaunt’s Land Rover has far more power than original examples.
The throttle returns smooth and linear acceleration around town, but if you stomp on it, the old Landie will rear up and reel in the horizon unlike any classic off-roader I’ve experienced.
Modern brakes help it stop with more authority than it should, while Aussie suspension hardware by ARB and cooling equipment from PWR keep it in check.
Sure, the ride is a little rough. But in a way, that’s part of the appeal. This is a re-powered classic, rather than one that has been reimagined.
Hand-built by folks committed to the cause, the cars are finished to the exact specifications of each customer. A magnificent example such as the one shown here could cost as much as $400,000 by the time it reaches your driveway.
Sydney’s Classic Throttle Shop currently has a plain white version with a couple of hundred kilometres on the odometer in stock for $250,000.
That’s a lot of money.
There are cheaper options, including an electric conversion for the Mini Moke (think $90,000 for a conversion kit), and there’s always the option of looking to other suppliers.
Other Aussie businesses converting classics to run on battery power include Electro Gusto, which has had a crack at German cars including classic Mercedes and Porsches.
Electric Dream machine does a trade in old Volkswagens, and there are many more including Traction EV, Electric Car Cafe and EV-Torque that can convert a classic to run on battery power.
Time at the wheel of Jaunt’s electric Land Rover shows why you would do it.
An electric conversion has all the aesthetic appeal of a classic car with none of the downsides – reliability, complexity and performance are all improved by a conversion.
Sure, you lose the rumble of an engine. And in the case of a crisp Ford V8 or snorting Alfa Romeo, that might be too high a price to pay.
But when you’re trading a knackered, rattling old diesel for smooth electric power?
That’s more than a fair trade.
Originally published as Jaunt electric Range Rover conversion driven
