ECD Automotive bolsters its EV conversions with new drivetrains, batteries, and DC fast charging

EV conversion specialist ECD Automotive continues to do what it does best – learn, evolve, and innovate. The veteran one-of-a-kind vehicle manufacturer has announced a new partnership that brings improvements to the drivetrains and batteries implemented in each of its Jaguar or Land Rover EV conversions. Furthermore, the company has finally added DC fast-charging capabilities for its customers.

ECD Automotive Design is a custom vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Kissimmee, Florida, founded by three men whose passion for classics from their native UK led them to start building bespoke restorations of the upmost quality and performance. In its decade-long tenure, ECD Automotive has earned well deserved status as one of the most prominent producers of custom Land Rovers in the world.

EVs are admittedly new to the team in recent years, but we got a chance to visit the company’s original footprint in Florida in early 2022 to witness its conversions using Tesla drivetrains and refurbished battery packs.

ECD has since begun building custom Jaguar E-Types, which of course can also come equipped as EV conversions. We visited Kissimmee again last fall to tour the company’s brand-new facility up the street from the old spot and see the Jaguar EVs being built.

During our visits, it was clear that ECD’s meticulous team was still wrapping its mind around how different EV technology is from traditional combustion vehicles. What was also clear, however, was how invested the company and its founders were in zero-emissions technology to offer EV options to its customers.

That’s why today’s news comes as little surprise as some of the pillars of ECD’s success are customer satisfaction, top-tier quality, and continuous improvement. Future ECD customers should see all the above in their future EV conversion orders, as the custom vehicle manufacturer has bolstered its available technology.

ECD’s one-of-a-kind EV conversions get big upgrades

Previously, ECD was using drivetrains and refurbished battery packs from Tesla EVs, combining two packs across its custom Land Rover builds to combine for 100 kWh of power. Today, however, ECD has announced a new partnership that enables each of its electric conversions to include a brand-new drivetrain and single battery pack.

Going forward, ECD’s restored Jaguar E-Types will come equipped with a 42 kWh battery pack offering 150 miles of range, while its custom vintage Land Rover Defenders will feature an 84 kWh setup with a 200-mile range. ECD cofounder and chief technology officer Elliot Humble spoke to the electric conversion upgrades:

ECD’s biggest advantage is that we’re never satisfied – switching our electric drivetrains is the latest in a long list of changes we’ve made since we started in 2013. After extensive testing on battery life, range and more, I’m confident that our new EVs will provide an even more powerful driving experience for the ECD family.

After two visits with the ECD team, they really are never satisfied. There’s always something that can be tweaked, improved, or optimized. That’s no different for ECD’s EV conversions as the tech remains fairly nascent to the team compared to its long history of one-of-a-kind builds. One of the things I stressed during both my visits to ECD last year was the need for DC fast charging, and I was consistently told they were working on it.

Today, ECD Automotive confirmed that its new electric conversions will now include the capability for DC fast charging, replenishing from 10% to 80% in less than an hour. This should serve as another vital feature for ECD’s customers – of which the company says more and more are inquiring about EV conversions rather than combustion.

The new drivetrains will enable three driving modes led by a new display that gives future owners the ability to choose their drive style – eco, normal, and sport mode. Drivers will be also able to switch between two- and four-wheel drive, enabling them to power the rear wheels when driving normally and shift to 4WD when offroading. Other new features include hill assist/idle creep mode, plus regenerative braking on and off.

ECD Automotive shared that its first electric conversion with the new drivetrains was a deluxe vintage Defender, which rolled off its assembly lines in February 2023. We hope to visit the team again soon and experience the new EV tech for ourselves.