BHP, an Australian mining company, has recently come to the car atelier Voltra with a highly unusual request. The company wanted a custom all-terrain EV built with the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 truck at its base, complete with an open chassis and a single-row cockpit.
Voltra stripped the truck of its fuel tank, exhaust system and turbocharged engine – none of these would be needed in an all-electric vehicle – and named the result “eCruiser”.
The car received a single 90-horsepower / 67-kilowatt strong electric motor situated under the cockpit. When necessary, the otherwise rather humble engine can be boosted to a maximum of 140 hp (104 kW) and 250 Nm (184 lb·ft) of torque. To maintain sufficient towing performance, the atelier increased the gear ratios in the transfer case.
Voltra installed three battery sets with 42 kWh total capacity: two chassis-mounted and one concealed under the hood. Interestingly, the brake boosters, the power steering and the air conditioner all use their separate, independent electric motors.
BHP will first test the prototype truck at a uranium deposit site. If it proves to be efficient enough, the company plans to sign a contract with Voltra for a whole series of retrofitted Toyota Land eCruiser vehicles.
Photo: insideevs.com