One-of-a-kind custom vehicle manufacturer ECD Automotive Design is at it again, announcing it will now offer the classic Jaguar E-Type in addition to unique Land Rover Defenders and Range Rovers. With the option to choose a Tesla motor and battery, these electric Jaguar E-Types are now available to order.
ECD Automotive Design is a custom vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Kissimmee, Florida, founded by three Brits who originally had very limited (nearly zero) experience in building cars. Still, their love for some of the UK classics like the Defender and Range Rover proved to be enough. Less than a decade later, ECD Automotive sits as one of the most prominent producers of custom Land Rovers in the world.
Their focus on the utmost quality, luxury, and willingness to never say no to a customer’s request has warranted a habit of returning customers, some buying two or three bespoke vehicles. These one-of-a-kind builds are something to marvel at.
If you haven’t see their work, we recommend checking out our visit to their shop this past February. At the time, we got the opportunity to drive a custom Land Rover Defender D110, equipped with an electric motor and battery from a Tesla Model S.
The guys at ECD were relatively new to building electrified versions of their Land Rovers, but the number of interested clients was already growing. Now, ECD Automotive has announced it will begin building custom Jaguar E-Type vehicles, the first of which will be entirely electric.
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The Jaguar E-Type Coupé and Roadster which will soon come in custom electric versions / Source: ECD Automotive Design -
Coming soon: The electric Jaguar E-Type
According to a recent press release from ECD Automotive Design, it is now taking orders for both the Coupé and Roadster version of the classic Jaguar E-Type sports car. The very first restored model is currently in production and will be powered by the aforementioned Tesla drivetrain. ECD cofounder Tom Humble spoke to the appeal of the classic sports car and how it fits the company’s style:
The whole foundation of ECD is restoring classic cars that excite us and make us eager for the future of the business. We always knew we would add more classic cars to our vintage vehicle lineup. What better place to start than with the E-Type? Famously called ‘the most beautiful car in the world’ by Enzo Ferrari, this retro build exemplifies ECD’s constant evolution in restomods.
While this will be the same Tesla package we got to see closeup in the Defender, ECD told us it will be able to store the entire 100 kWh battery pack in the E-Type’s front end, rather than having to split the pack 60:40 between the engine bay and above the rear axle, like it has in the Land Rovers.
Of course, our first question pertained to the range of the new electric Jaguar, especially since the E-Type is a much smaller, aerodynamic vehicle compared to a Land Rover SUV. ECD Automotive could not give concrete range until the first build is complete and tested, but the team expects the electric Jaguars to garner between 180-200 miles on a single charge.
When we visited earlier this year, we discussed the possibility of DC fast-charging capabilities on the bespoke electric Land Rovers, something the ECD team said it was working to implement. The initial electric Jaguar E-Types will unfortunately not be compatible with DCFCs to start, but that is technology the team continues to work toward implementing in the “near future.”
The ability to add the Jaguar E-Type to its model range is thanks to a new 100,000-square-foot facility erected across the street from ECD’s original footprint in Florida. When we visited in February, we were able to tour the new facility, but the assembly lines were not in place yet.
Today, two separate assembly lines at the upgraded facility have allowed ECD Automotive to scale production to from 60 custom vehicles a year to 100, with hopes to eventually reach 200 per year. In regard to the restored Jaguar E-Types specifically, ECD expects to initially complete 10 to 12 per year.
The first Electric Jaguar E-Type is expected to be compete in early 2023. Here’s a teaser video in the meantime:
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