Electromod classic Range Rovers: 650bhp EV and 730bhp PHEV JIA Chieftan. How mad? HOW MUCH?

These two cars are JIA Chieftans, restomodded/electromodded classic Range Rovers from Jensen International Automotive, in Oxfordshire, England.
They're both based on classic Range Rovers but they are restorations with a huge twist. The one on the left is a pure electric conversion, with 650bhp. The one on the right is a plug-in electric hybrid, with no less than 730bhp!
Join Matt Prior and James Disdale as they get to know these bonkers restos and chat about them in a slightly podcasty way.
All filmed and edited by Shreyans Chordia (who probably still hasn't dried out and warmed up since; sorry Shrey).
For the full written story see here:
www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...
And more tech details are just here look:
JIA Chieftain EV
Price: From £350,000
Motor: 3x axial flux motors
Power: 648bhp (405bhp continuous)
Torque: 1792lb ft
Transmission: Single speed
Drive battery: 120kWh (useable)
Kerbweight: 2500kg (est)
0-62mph: 8.2 seconds
Top speed: 125mph (limited)
Energy efficiency: n/a
Range: 220-250 miles
JIA Chieftain PHEV
Price: from £350,000
Engine: V8, 6.2-litre, petrol plus 2x axial flux motors
Power: 730bhp (combined)
Torque: Not sure
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, switchable four-wheel drive
Drive battery: 62kWh (useable)
Kerbweight: 2500kg(est)
0-60mph: 6.2 seconds (hybrid mode)
Top speed: 112mph (limited)
00:00 Introduction
01:18 Chieftan PHEV tech details and walkaround
03:33 Chieftan EV tech details and walkaround
07:16 Chieftan PHEV driving impressions
17:19 Chieftan EV driving impressions
22:07 Electrifying old cars?
24:44 How much?!
For more from Autocar, including access to THE ENTIRE 129 YEAR Autocar Archive, visit: www.themagazineshop.com/autocar/
Autocar, the world's leading motoring magazine and website, delivers industry-leading news, the most in-depth car reviews and opinion from our team of experts. Our presenters include some of the world's top motoring journalists who have unrivalled access to the world's fastest, rarest, most exotic and most exciting cars on some of the world's best roads and race tracks.

[@davidhayes4814]

The elephant in the room is the cost……

[@t5jerry]

and the DINOSAUR in the room is autocar

[@RichardLyleEsq]

I really enjoyed this film. Fun in the rain.

[@alexdrinks2much]

Surely less power and more range would make way more sense in a vehicle like this? I can’t imagine any sane person is prepared to pay that much?!

[@van123446]

the safety aspect alone would keep me from doing one. You've got your family/kids in the car and you need to stop or swerve out of the way, and you can't, and the lack of air bags,, need I go on what that could look like?? For four hundred grand you could probably buy two of the all electric range rovers this fall. People's need to be unique with the material posessions that they own have always been a cartoon for me.

[@espaudio]

You legend Matt, making reference to Bosch driving an XJ! That's exactly what I thought of when you guys started talking about it...

[@jamiep61]

I enjoy watching your channel and the content Is brilliant 😊

[@t5jerry]

do you work for these company`s who did the mods by any chance as well ?

[@nigelbond4056]

James looks as though he’s using a booster seat in the EV. I genuinely can’t fathom why anyone would pay over twice as much for one of these over a brand new, fully loaded, full-fat Range Rover. I’m sure they’re both technically brilliant, but the JLR product is likely more so.

[@howarddavies136]

I'd wager that these are more reliable than a new Range Rover. If I had enough money to buy one of these, I wouldn't. If I had enough money to buy ten of these, I may consider buying one. I reckon the market for these are the very very wealthy who have a passion for old rangies and are adding to a collection.

[@urbanstrencan]

AWESOME video compering proper resto mods, my choice is EV 😊❤

[@redlineste4283]

Think Autocar Magazine needs a restomod.

[@TB-up4xi]

They want £186,000 + VAT for a basic petrol engine LS3 with no batteries - I can only imagine how much they would want for these...pricing is by request.

[@goodfest007]

Like the banter and the car, but my pockets are unfortunately not deep enough ….😬

[@maxtorque2277]

Side note: Some years ago we were setting up a new HV DC test facility and were installing all the necessary kit, including the HV rescue hooks (which is actually a very sepcifically designed fiberglass pole rated to resist 5kV or more) and having screwed the poles to the walls in their nice new mounts, available for quick access should they ever be required, we realised that they ought to be labelled so as to comply with the necessary HSE signage regulations. So, a collegue of mine, who shall remain nameless, quickly printed up some nice laminated signs that were stuck proudly, in very large font, on the wall next to all the poles. What was suprising was that it took the facility mamnagement several years to actually notice exactly what those signs said, which was: HV RESCUE HOOK - USE TO PULL SOMEONE OFF IN AN EMERGENCY! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@rotteneggconcept]

This is how my Friends should review my Projects, only positives Please. Loved the review

[@herme99]

These would be great DIY conversion cars if there was an affordable EV kit out there.

[@simonmills2250]

Don't think these two will be troubling the Top Gear or Grand Tour casts

[@GarryMcGovern]

I was all in, until I saw the price................. yeah, I'll stick with the dinosaur supercharged V8 instead thanks!

[@thebondvivant8030]

Crikey, lads. I watch every video you put out, but that was a labour to watch. I know that the weather was crappy, but some sort of script would have helped this time.

[@electrikoptik]

Being a Land Rover it will still manage to break down.

[@paulverney4753]

Loved this. Not sure how to explain what I’ve just watched. It wasn’t a review, they weren’t presenting to camera. I guess it was like being a fly on the wall, watching two mates have a chat while out for a drive. 👍

[@huss1205]

A straight 6 diesel engine, like the new one LR is using, will fit these cars perfectly...

[@bobechs7234]

Video needs more arm-waving and wild finger action in the rain. Adds compelling drama to two actors not listening to each other much

[@h3ck774]

Fit for a golden a god

[@nickb2578]

Chaps - and Filming team. A lovely video and having driven a real one of these ( Petrol V8) supplied by my old employer on numerous occasions I remember the doors starting to migrate outwards at about 80 MPH - hope the respective teams have fixed that trait? Good to see you were still steaming up which was always an issue in the originals. Cost as you say, is the issue but this innovation (despite the mainstream press being against electric) is what is needed in a congested environment where choice has to be king. I just hope this sort of thing can become viable for us mere mortals. I love both, as they look sensational. Great job

[@marty1035]

Would’ve been so much better without the boring train spotter presenters.

[@09juliancarr]

For everyone moaning about price, they cannot build these fast enough. They are VERY popular in California…. And it took them 4 years to find a suitable supply chain and all the calibration work! It’s pretty amazing piece of work!

[@maxtorque2277]

There is, imo, one good (possibly great) thing about a classic (beam axles seperate chassis) range rover, and that is the V8 engine. Sure it was slow, noisy, and drank like oliver reed on a big night out, but the noise it made and the way it drove are what makes a classic rangie what it is. And in fact, the US derived V8 was probably the most reliable bit on the car (esp with elecy ignition and SUs (rather than the Solex carbs). Ditching that bit does not a better classic RR make, sorry......

[@howarddavies136]

Ive no problem with electrifying a car like this. The engine is by no means central to the experience. Even in something like an MGB convertible that has a crap engine anyway and only goes out for short jaunts in the sun, an EV conversion makes more sense for some. On the other hand, electrifying something like a DB5 should carry a mandatory custodial sentence.

[@17addidas]

Toys ...for the wealthy .

[@robboy18]

Could easily fit a supercharged V8 into these instead of these stupid milk cart batteries.

[@maxtorque2277]

you could, except it would be a death trap and the trans and axle would last about 12 seconds. Far far better to just fit a mild tune original 3.9 or 4.2 V8 on Efi,keeping all the character will plenty of performance that you can actually use....

[@robboy18]

@maxtorque2277 Haha indeed. Anything is better than a milk float powertrain. Its just part of the character of an older car. I couldn't ever imagine getting into one of these and not hearing that lovely old Rover V8.

[@lairdinho]

Struggle slightly with the appeal beyond the very basic one of the looks of the outside of these. There's no way the interiors are a nicer place to spend time than a new Range Rover. No Range Rover is a driver's car, either, so it's hard to see the driving appeal. Moreover, the latest Range Rover and indeed the outgoing generation are rare examples of reasonably elegant new cars. Regardless of cost, I'd far rather just have a new Range Rover. Can't believe it wouldn't be much nicer to live with than these. I suspect these electromods will be used for short local journeys up to about 20 mins or so for a short period while the novelty factor is high and that's it. Fairly soon they'll break, prove tiresome to have repaired because of their extremely bespoke nature and then in fairly short oorder get put to one side.

[@blarkdexture8899]

LIUNA just went bankrupt

[@Seventh7Art]

For that kind of cost, you can buy 5 Tesla Cybertrucks which are inherently superior off roaders!

[@johnnycarruthers9737]

Get rid of baldy hes like a half price version of chris harris

[@DouglasJWalker]

Zzzz

[@paulmcdonald4508]

buy yourself a new golf cart leave real cars alone for the rest of us

[@Max-Bliss]

A car channel promoting EV's, gets an "unsubscirbe" and a "Don't recommend this channel" for promoting carmageddon.

[@mnblaas]

Hahaha go cry in the corner. Still using a computer in the public library I presume? By your logic you better swear off mobile phones. Otherwise no way you are able to watch this video

[@t5jerry]

How mad? HOW MUCH?.........HOW BORING, autocar used to lead, now it`s ON a lead ......................🥱🥱😴😴😌😌