Electric Land Rover Defender has in-wheel motors and 320bhp

British engineering firm Bedeo has launched an electric conversion of the Land Rover Defender 110, which uniquely features four in-wheel motors and is said to weigh only slightly more than the original 4x4.

Conceived to "maintain its rugged charm while embracing the advantages of electric power", the Defender is the first in a series of Reborn Electric Icons that Bedeo plans to offer.

It uses a pair of in-wheel motors at each end that have been designed and engineered by subsidiary firm Protean Electric. The set-up took eight years to develop and is claimed to have been tested over 37 million miles across Europe.

Power is supplied by a 75kWh battery that achieves a claimed range of 153 miles and can be topped up in five hours from a 22kW charger. A 50kW fast charger is optionally available, allowing it to fill up in 90 minutes.