Land Rover Defender 110s Are Already Cool—So How About One With Tesla Power?

This classic Landy sourced its drivetrain from Tesla and has a super cool cargo area.

ECD Automotive Design, formerly known as East Coast Defenders, specializing in restoring and modifying classic Land Rover models, has unveiled two of its latest custom builds. The Florida-based company overhauled two Defender 110s from the ground up and converted them to electric power using Tesla-sourced drivetrains.

And this isn’t the first of its kind for the Kissimmee shop. In mid-2021, MotorTrend technical director Frank Markus had a chance to get into the driver seat of ECD’s electric vintage Range Rover, also powered by Tesla. Both are fully assembled in-house in the U.S.

ECD named one of the two electric luxury SUVs “Project Britton,” and we’re focusing on that example here. Adopting a Tesla motor and direct drive unit, the modified Defender can zoom from 0 to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. The 100-kWh battery delivers up to 220 miles of driving range on a full charge; reaching that capacity that requires plugging in for five hours, the outfit claims.

The electrified Defender 110 is finished in glossy Cool Khaki Gray with five bar aluminum tread plate and features a custom OEM roof painted Alpine White. Accessories include a swing-away full-size spare carrier, Hella 500 Series work lights, and a Front Runner roof rack system. CNC metal cut pieces, including the door hardware and air intake vents, add a high-quality touch to the already fancy-looking Landy.

Out front, Project Britton sports a heritage-style grille, an A-Frame protection bar, a Warn winch, and a classic bumper complete with daylight running lights. It rides on 18-inch custom-painted Kahn Mondial wheels wearing BFGoodrich tires and an ECD adjustable air suspension, while Brembo brakes provide stopping power.

Like the exterior, the superbly furnished interior takes customization to another level. For starters, it features a 2+2+2 seating layout. The front and middle Recaro Expert S seats, which come heated and ventilated, are upholstered in sandy tone Porsche Nappa leather with diamond-quilted middle inserts. This same material covers the doors cards and spreads to other parts, including the dash, center console, and cargo area.

A classic Evander wood-rimmed steering wheel, ECD electric gauges, and Porsche Nappa Black Schwarz with stainless steel fastenings adorn the dashboard. The cargo area has two inward-facing jump seats and a Teak wood storage bench and flooring. Tech and modern equipment include an Alpine Floating Halo touchscreen, WiFi, wireless charging, USB ports, and a sound system featuring Infinity Kappa speakers and JL Audio subwoofers. Safety consists of blind-spot monitoring, a front and back up camera, and a parking sensor.

Pricing for the tailor-made electric Defender 110, while not disclosed by ECD, we’d estimate is well over the $200,000 mark.