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► We carry out electrical conversion with a difference
►BEDEO and Protean Electric in-wheel motor technology used
► How does engine technology work in the real world?
The idea of an electric motor in the steering wheel has been with us for some time. The benefits include precise wheel control, greater power and grip and much less intrusion into the passenger compartment compared to a more traditional electric car setup.
That's what engineering firms BEDEO and Protean Electric have been working on for a while, and are starting to enter the vast world of converting classic cars to use electrical energy. The first example his team converted was a defender and we executed on that.
At first sight
Benefit: Smooth performance, uninterrupted off-road capability, minimal changes to the original vehicle
Cons: Technology is still commercially exclusive, BEDEO only works with conversions, it won't be cheap
What's new?
First, let's talk about BEDEO. BEDEO is an engineering company that in 2021 acquired Protean Electric, a technology company that has been central to the UK's efforts in the development of electric motors on wheels for years. Protean Electric has designed, developed and developed its own wheel motors, battery technology and automotive technology since 2009. Their partnership with BEDEO has expanded the company's reach in the UK and beyond. The team's engineers produce and assemble their own electric powertrain in-house, including the battery pack and components.
BEDEO has commercial partnerships with the likes of DPD, DHL and Ocado to convert combustion engine delivery businesses to electric using its proprietary technology, and also worked with Stellantis in 2019 to electrify some of its commercial vehicles. In-wheel motors from Protean Electric also powered the NEVS Emily GT – a project created in part by former Saab engineers.
Considering the company's commercial partners and collaboration with other OEMs, it takes pride in its technical business, with hard and useful feedback from said partners. There is no regulator in Britain governing EV conversion, but Andrew Whitehead, CEO of Protean Electric, says the team works to strict safety standards, influenced by its operations across Europe. “Today I could set up a garage in the UK, go to the scrap yard and take out modules and batteries and whatever I wanted [to put into an EV conversion], but with 400 volts DC you don't get another second. opportunity. ' So much so that the team works according to the technical specification of IATF 16949, which regulates quality management internationally.
Reborn Electric: Icons is the latest project from BEDEO and Protean Electric. As the name suggests, the aim is to design 'plug-and-play' electrified powertrain conversions for both commercial and passenger cars. The team says the focus is on "renovating iconic, beloved vehicles sold in large numbers around the world so they can run on electric power." in the future,” Whitehead tells us.
Why a defender first? The team says they're legendary enough to be memorable and desirable conversion targets, but it's not so rare that converting them is seen as sacrilege. Older generations of the Porsche 911 are being presented as a potential future conversion, which isn't a new concept – we've drivenan electric 911 conversion from Everrati.
What about the specifications?
On the Reborn Electric Defender, the motor and drive shafts have been extended and a battery and four wheel motors have been replaced. BEDEO says the swap has not added "excessive additional weight" and that the goal is "to electrify without compromising cargo space and improve performance and reliability."
The Defender we drive uses Protean Electric wheel motors. These permanent magnet e-motors physically sit in the wheel hubs and contain the rotor (the part you physically see through the wheel), stator, electronics and brakes in one unit. "We have the rotor on the outside because that gives us the most available torque," says Whitehead, "and we use the wheel bearing to center the rotor around the stator." for safety reasons, despite significant regenerative braking power) and caliber complete the internal housing of the unit, but are not sealed to ensure the best cooling.
The Defender we drive is originally a 2005 model and has a 75 kWh battery pack. Each of the car's four wheel motors is rated at 90 kW (121 hp) and what BEDEO describes as 'continuous' torque is up to 479 Nm per second. e-motor. The conversion allows charging with 22 kW AC or up to 50 kW DC (via a neatly integrated CCS connector where the fuel cap used to be), and the team says they've managed to drive 150 miles on a single charge to upload. In terms of performance, a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h is completed in around 10 seconds and the Defender reaches a top speed of 130 km/h.
How is the interior?
In fact, the overall structure and design are classic Defender. There are some tweaks and updates, but these are designed to interfere with the stock car feel as little as possible. The seats have been reupholstered, a battery charge gauge replaces the fuel gauge, a new rearview mirror contains information such as a power meter and the shifter normally found on the center console has been replaced by D, N and R buttons on the dash, as well as a 'Eco' condition.
A very retro steering wheel, small seats and a thick dashboard are all present. As always, you sit extremely high and there is barely enough room for your elbow against the thin doors. Again: a Defender specialty.
What is it like to drive?
Turn a physical key, release the handbrake and press 'D' and you're away, with the pedestrian safety sound that electric cars should have, the same one Stellantis uses for its current electrified models – funny, that.
The acceleration is smooth and strong enough. This is no Model 3 Performance here, but there's certainly more power than what you'd experience from a scrambling Td5 diesel. And because there is no gearbox involved, it just keeps going. The available power is nicely matched and will undoubtedly breathe new life into a classic Defender.
Of course, there are some Defender-based downsides: the steering is woolly and takes some getting used to compared to modern cars with powerful assistance, and the brake pedal itself is a bit spongy, for example. The biggest improvement is the sound. At lower speeds, the lack of a rattling diesel engine significantly improves the interior atmosphere and even allows you to have successful conversations with your passengers. It's easy and comfortable to zip around town, and most of the noise at higher speeds is based on the Defender's Lego brick aerodynamics.
Going off the beaten track across green lanes in true Defender style, it proves that the perennial Land Rover has lost none of its off-road prowess. We could even say that the switch to an electrified powertrain has made it even easier to drive off-road in a Defender. There's no operating the levers, engaging the differential locks or even feeding power through a traditionally slow gearbox: the BEDEO Defender simply glides over rough terrain. With no gears to get in the way of getting out, you simply adjust your position and acceleration using just the accelerator pedal, while our bumpy, bumpy and very muddy green course is controlled as if it were a pure piece of tarmac. .
Before you buy
Electric conversions for classic cars are becoming more and more common, but this Reborn Electric Defender offers technology and engineering that you don't really see on the commercial market. While specific prices aren't public, the conversion certainly won't be cheap - although Whitehead and the team say their conversion is cheaper than going to another specialist or even JLR's own Classic division.
BEDEO's strategy is also not to sell the technology directly. If you have a classic Defender that you would like to convert to electric with this in-wheel motor technology, contact Overfinch or Twisted and they will contact BEDEO. Whitehead tells us the plan is to keep his direct customers to a minimum, and leave other parts of the rebuild (interior refresh, new body and wheels, etc.) to the experts.
And I hear you shouting, “but what about the unsprung mass?” structure – something the team is aware of from the start. But BEDEO and Protean Electric are armed with a defence, with Whitehead pointing out that Protean commissioned an investigation involving Lotus Engineering. The study concluded that including in-wheel motors did indeed add extra weight, but having a motor on each wheel meant better stability and grip thanks to torque vectoring and individual wheel controls.
“We normally add about 35kg per corner,” says Whitehead, “but what really matters is the ratio of sprung to unsprung mass. If you look at all the vehicles on sale today, the limits of the ratio are from 5:1 to 9:1 - on most models between six and eight, provided that when you add the unsprung mass and you within this ration limit, you can still keep a vehicle performing as it should. “By adding our engines to these vehicles, we can go from 7.8:1 to 6.7:1 and we are working to improve that ratio.”
Rating: BEDEO defender
It is an interesting step in the use of wheel motors. Although BEDEO and Protean's technology is still in its commercial infancy, it seems like a smart move to develop the game further and focus its use on converting classic cars.
And the result of a completed conversion is smooth and beautiful, adding some flexibility to a relatively inflexible classic. Electrifying a classic Defender frees it from a screaming and emissions-heavy diesel engine, improves overall performance and makes it more refined than it ever was from the factory. Since that was the goal, we'd call it a job.
