Simply over a 12 months after my final go to, I just lately acquired the prospect to go to my buddies at ECD Automotive Design down in central Florida and take their newest EV conversion – the all-electric Jaguar E-Kind for a spin. As all the time, there have been tons of recent and thrilling happenings at ECD, because it continues to study, develop, and delve additional into electrification.
Should you haven’t heard of ECD Automotive Design, you need to look it up. It’s arguably top-of-the-line one-of-one automobile builders within the business and continues to develop its buyer base due to the standard, service, and stage of customization it supplies.
Final week, I acquired to go to the corporate’s HQ close to Orlando for the third time, and let me let you know – each time I return, the group over there’s enhancing, increasing, and experimenting with new issues. That’s an enormous key to ECD’s progress within the final decade, coming from one single industrial bay to a brand new 100,000-square-foot facility down the highway it’s already outgrowing.
The corporate’s founders have UK roots, so ECD was based upon delivering top-tier, absolutely personalized British classics like Vary Rovers and Defenders. In recent times, we noticed ECD start providing its prospects electrical choices, cleverly integrating Tesla motors and battery packs into the present chassis and drivetrain.
In June 2022, ECD introduced plans for an electrical Jaguar E-Kind from the Seventies, out there in a roadster convertible or a 2+2 coupe. After I final visited in October of 2022, I acquired a peek on the E-Kind’s meeting line, because the ECD staff was familiarizing itself with the basic earlier than starting to construct full and absolutely personalized restorations.
Final week, I acquired to stroll the meeting strains but once more to see the progress of the Jaguar E-Kind builds – a majority of that are going electrical. Moreover, ECD had just lately accomplished its first all-electric E-Kind for a buyer, and I acquired to take it out for a spin and assist with some high quality management earlier than it was delivered. Listed here are my ideas.
ECD’s Jaguar E-Kind feels prefer it was made to be electrical
Having visited ECD a number of occasions prior to now, I knew the routine at this level. ECD co-founder Scott Wallace took me on a short tour, focusing particularly on the E-Sorts as a result of there are a number of at present being constructed, which is a unique course of to what the customized auto builder is used to with its Land Rovers.
Wallace advised me the ECD staff initially thought it may switch its construct course of from the Defender strains, anticipating a necessity for extra educated employees as the important thing hurdle, however defined they acquired it improper. It was the alternative. ECD’s gifted employees dealt with the Jaguar simply wonderful, however the constructing course of is completely totally different.
As an illustration, ECD had beforehand specialised in customized ground-up builds with the Land Rovers, utilizing elements shipped from the UK. The electrical Jaguar E-Sorts however, are full restorations – that means ECD is buying whole automobiles across the US, disassembling them, sandblasting the usable elements, and constructing them again up as EVs. So far, ECD says it reuses round 50% of the unique automobile on every construct, a course of that at present takes considerably longer in comparison with the Land Rovers ECD has been constructing for a number of years.
Strolling the meeting line, it was somewhat fascinating how effectively the electrical motor and batteries match contained in the Jaguar E-Kind, virtually as if it had been made to be electrical – An argument I now standby having pushed the roadster.
What’s much more fascinating is that ECD’s electrical configuration is a rattling close to match in weight distribution in comparison with the unique V12 engine and transmission setup. So, the electrical Jaguar E-Kind drives almost how its authentic makers meant, albeit with extra torque and faster acceleration. Wallace advised me ECD would like to take credit score for that design prowess, nevertheless it was merely a welcomed coincidence.
The drivetrain configuration consists of two batteries and a motor up entrance, plus a 3rd battery pack within the trunk, combining for a complete capability of 42 kWh. Small by right now’s EV requirements, however keep in mind – ECD is proscribed by the E-Kind’s current chassis.
Regardless, such a small automobile can garner loads of “oomph,” belief me. The drivetrain delivers 450 hp, whereas its batteries mix for as much as 150 miles of all-electric vary.
As chances are you’ll recall, again in March, we reported that ECD was transferring on from the refurbished Tesla motors and battery packs in favor of a brand new configuration from Ampere EV, enabling the customized builder to now provide its prospects new options like 4WD, three totally different drive modes, creep mode, and eventually… DC quick charging.
With this new drivetrain system, current within the electrical Jaguar E-Kind, ECD can ship lots of the EV applied sciences shoppers come to anticipate right now, even when their authentic automobile was constructed 50+ years in the past. So, how does an electrified E-Kind drive? Effectively, let me let you know, my buddies.
Check driving the E-Kind
After my tour, it was time to take the E-Kind out for a spin alongside ECD co-founder Elliot Humble. We did our common route across the Orlando space I had pushed a number of occasions earlier than, providing areas of lengthy open roads to see what the roadster may do. I used to be not disenchanted.
Whereas the brand new drivetrain system from Ampere is much less highly effective than the earlier Tesla configuration, its different perks gained in return outweigh the loss. The regenerative braking is way smoother and more practical, transferring nearer to real one-pedal driving, however not fairly but. Maybe subsequent 12 months (wink, wink).
Acceleration was a breeze. One which whipped my longer hair round right into a voluminous helmet by the point we had been carried out due to a really low windshield. Nonetheless, I instantly felt comfy behind the wheel of this EV, whipping round and overtaking a number of “slower” automobiles on the highway – though, I did want to make use of my neck to test beside me and in my blind spots as a result of the aspect mirrors on this automobile are comparatively ineffective.
Earlier than I drove, I sat down with ECD’s head of gross sales and design, John Value, who walked me by the design means of my very own electrical Jaguar E-Kind. Surprisingly, once I returned from my drive, the ECD had assembled a mini duplicate to take house. I share this element as a result of it speaks volumes in regards to the stage of customization and customer support ECD places into each certainly one of its builds – from the primary design assembly to supply and past. Try my work!
Total, this was one more insightful journey to ECD Auto Design, full of inspiration and laughter. Each time I go to, I’m amazed at how a lot the corporate has grown – each in dimension and in know-how. As somebody that tries to enhance and optimize his personal life day by day, I’m all the time impressed at how ECD can do it at such a scale and do it rattling nicely.
That work has paid off as nicely. ECD’s success has caught buyers’ eyes, and the corporate intends to go public later this month following a bell-ringing ceremony on the New York Inventory Alternate. It’s a large milestone, however this firm should keep its small and scrappy angle towards its one-of-a-kind builds, and it is aware of that. Let’s hope company America doesn’t kill the magic. My cash’s on ECD (not actually… at the least not but).
I’m already trying ahead to my subsequent go to, particularly because the firm has given me a sneak peek at what’s subsequent in its pipeline. I can’t say something publicly but, nevertheless it’s an thrilling subsequent step. Count on one other go to sooner or later, however till then, take a look at this detailed have a look at ECD’s new electrical Jaguar E-Kind:
