Project Cars: 1992 Range Rover Vogue – The first drive
In the middle of 2021 we started following the journey of a car lover who is currently battling a terminal illness.
His build was shared with us by the team at EVolution, the Melbourne-based company specialising in turning your old classic car into a fully electric vehicle.
To recap, this project car is a 1992 Range Rover Vogue. But, this vehicle in particular is special – the only one in Australia with this configuration and one of three in the world.
In our first two chapters of this project we outlined a laundry list of modifications, from removing the auto transmission, drive shafts and engine, to designing and developing the battery box. It’s been quite the task and none of this evolved without its hiccups.
After the last visit, the team was struck with additional COVID lockdowns which impacted the initial timeline, adding two months to the build. Thankfully, thy team was able to work around stock delays and the ever-changing climate.
Since we last met a large quantity of work has been undertaken. The battery pack was installed and fully energised, while the charging system set-up was completed and commissioned. It scored new wheels and tyres from JAX Tyres and Auto, road testing took place at a local proving ground, engineering was signed off, and various test drives were completed.
On the path to perfection, no stone was left unturned. In fact, the team wasn’t initially content with the final product, so much so it opted to tweak the design with the outcome exceeding initial expectations. In the end EVolution produced a conversion with a more
refined driveline and enhanced package.
The biggest hurdle throughout was the design and fabrication, namely the battery enclosures. This is a task that can’t be fully mastered until it is mounted, keeping in mind each has to withstand 20G. Decisions can be made in the virtual world but once installed, the routing and perfect placement is key and can spark further amendments.
The team at EVolution also added some surprises for the customer including satellite navigation, lane-keep assist, a rear-view camera and proximity locks
– none of which were in his initial plan.
It’s been quite the task but in the end we are happy to report the owner was elated with the final product. This project has also sparked interest with more Range Rover builds which now underway in
EVolution’s garage.We thank the team and owner for allowing us to be a part of this journey, from the very first modification to watching it cruise on the road. It’s been an incredible project to follow.
MORE: Project Cars – 1992 Range Rover Vogue
MORE: Project Cars
– 1992 Range Rover Vogue Part 2
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