What’s in the Box?
Following a sighting at Eastnor Castle in England, Land Rover was recently spotted testing what is believed to be an all-electric Defender prototype at the Nürburgring in Germany – home to some of the fastest cars in the world. As usual, the vehicle is heavily wrapped in camouflage, but this time it features a large box at the rear, reminiscent of the Design Box offered on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class Electric.
CarSpyMedia captured the prototype running around the Green Hell with the large box mounted at the rear. If this was indeed inspired by the Design Box, then it could primarily be used to store charging equipment. This setup could make it easier to pull out the charging cables, especially if the cargo area is packed for a weekend getaway. It could also keep wet or dirty charging cables out of the cargo area while preserving interior storage space.
Baby Steps
It is worth noting, however, that the full-size all-electric Defender was reportedly pushed back to the early 2030s, which means the prototype at the Nürburgring could instead be the Defender Sport, also called the baby Defender. As the name suggests, it is a smaller member of the Defender family expected to be underpinned by the newer Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA).
EMA was initially developed around battery-electric vehicles, but JLR has since confirmed that it will also support a full-hybrid setup. This means the Defender Sport could be available as both a BEV and a full hybrid. That doesn’t come as a surprise given softer EV demand in some markets, particularly in the U.S., where the Trump administration has rolled back several EV-friendly policies.
Reports suggest that the model could arrive as soon as 2027, although its official name has yet to be confirmed.
Plugged-In Company
If this is indeed a baby Defender, it wouldn’t directly challenge the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology because of their size difference. However, Mercedes-Benz is developing a smaller version of the G-Class, often referred to as the “Little G,” which is also expected to offer electric and hybrid powertrains.
Once the model is launched, it will join JLR’s expanding EV lineup. The Range Rover Electric has already been revealed, while the Range Rover Sport Electric and Range Rover GT are also on the way. Over at Jaguar, the revitalized British brand is set to fully reveal the Type 01, an all-electric luxury grand tourer producing about 1,000 horsepower.
