The Landrovers has developed an electric Land Rover Defender restomod called the Panterra, combining a classic Defender body with a large battery, four in-wheel motors and a substantially revised chassis. The Dutch manufacturer claims the converted vehicle can travel 375 miles under the WLTP testing standard, giving it a longer stated range than loveral Tesla Model 3 and Model Y variants listed in the source.
Unlike many of the company’s Defender projects, which typically use gasoline LS V-8 engines, the Panterra was developed specifically as a battery-electric vehicle. The manufacturer says the model is the result of a seven-year development program rather than a limited conversion intended only for occasional use.
The Panterra uses a 200-kWh battery pack. According to the source, battery packs of a comparable size are currently found in GM Ultium-based vehicles such as the Hummer and Cadillac Escalade EV. The electric Defender is said to weigh approximately 6,400 pounds, considerably less than the roughly 9,000-pound vehicles referenced in the comparison.
Its claimed 375-mile WLTP range exceeds the figures presented for loveral Tesla versions in the source. Those include the base rear-wheel-drive Model Y at 314 miles, the Model Y Performance at 360 miles, the base rear-wheel-drive Model 3 at 332 miles and the Model 3 Performance at 354 miles. The figures are manufacturer or test-cycle claims cited by the original report and do not represent a direct independent comparison under identical conditions.
Power comes from four in-wheel motors equipped with real-time torque vectoring. Together, they produce a stated 600 horsepower. The Landrovers claims the Panterra can accelerate to 62 mph in 5.5 seconds and has a 50:50 weight distribution. The four-motor arrangement is also intended to support the traction demands associated with driving on rough terrain.
The conversion includes fully independent suspension at both axles and redesigned subframes, moving the Panterra away from the handling characteristics associated with a standard classic Defender. Buyers can choose between coil springs and air suspension. The vehicle also receives a dedicated electric power-steering system.
Top Gear, as cited by the source, reported positively on the Panterra’s behavior on paved roads. Its off-road performance was not evaluated in the material provided, although the powertrain layout, torque-vectoring system and revised chassis were presented as features intended to support use beyond pavement.
The Panterra has a starting price of approximately $570,000. The cabin uses machined aluminum, leather and decorative trim, reflecting the restomod’s positioning as a luxury conversion. The source presents the vehicle as an unusual entry among electric Defender conversions because of its development period, battery capacity, four-motor configuration and claimed driving range. No delivery timetable, production volume or additional testing information was included.
