http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/03/landrover-defender-ev-lead.jpg Instant torque feels delicious on the highway, but it could be an even bigger asset in an offroader. Land Rover has been experimenting with electric versions of its Defender 110 for a while now, and claims its latest prototypes benefit from a reduction in wheel spin due to the single-speed motor, making them more adept at climbing and less likely to churn up the environment. The prototypes don’t necessarily stand out in terms of raw specs: they’re 25 percent heavier than turbodiesel models, with lower horsepower and torque ratings, and with a range of just 50 miles. They try to make up for it in other ways, however, with the ability to deliver up to eight hours of slow, grueling off-road time, where range is secondary to staying upright, and by exploiting Land Rover’s Hill Descent Control feature for faster recharging through regenerative breaking. There’s no plan to bring an EV Defender to market any time soon, or to run the Dakar gauntlet like some rivals have, but the prototypes are due to make appearance at the Geneva Motor Show before being tested for painful-sounding “specialist applications” later in the year.
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Via: [Autoblog](http://LAND ROVER UNVEILS NEW ELECTRIC DEFENDER RESEARCH VEHICLE AT GENEVA MOTOR SHOW - Land Rover continues to champion innovation in sustainable engineering with electric Defender research vehicle - Engineered to deliver zero emissions whilst retaining legendary all-terrain capability - Innovative powertrain combines a 70kw electric motor with lithium-ion battery pack Whitley, UK, February 28, 2013 – Land Rover is continuing to champion British innovation and cutting-edge automotive engineering by unveiling seven new electric Defender models at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The research vehicle delivers zero emissions whilst retaining its tough, go-anywhere capability.), Forbes