Going on safari to one of the many game parks found in Africa is a once in a lifetime experience for most. 

But trundling around in a gas-guzzling SUV to shoot some memorable holiday snaps of everything from lions and tigers to gazelles and rhinoceros is hardly very green is it? 

Enter european battery firm Axeon and the South African arm of U.K. automaker Jaguar Land Rover. 

Working together, the two companies have converted a Land Rover Defender 110 - the safari vehicle of choice for many game parks - to a fully electric vehicle. 

In producing the concept Land Rover, engineers from both companies removed the standard 2.4-liter diesel engine and replaced it with an electric drivetrain capable of tackling tough off-road terrain. 

Axeon All-Electric Land Rover Defender

Axeon All-Electric Land Rover Defender

Interestingly however, the Land Rover conversion does not house its 28.8 kilowatt-hour battery pack in the traditional under-floor location. Instead, the battery pack is shoehorned under the Land Rover’s hood, allowing it to retain its legendary ground clearance and minimize damage to the savannah it drives through. 

Despite its weight, the electric Land Rover Defender concept is capable of traveling up to 62 miles per charge across rough grassland terrain, enabling it to travel more than three times the standard safari distance on a single charge. 

While switching to electric power undoubtedly helps safari parks to improve their carbon footprint and eco-credentials, passengers on the much quieter electric Land Rover can look forward to getting that little bit closer to the wonderful animals that inhabit the awe-inspiring continent that is Africa. 

 

[Axeon]