Upstate NY's Shocking Ohm Take on the Land Rover Defender
With the industry moving increasingly toward electrification, it’s been inevitable that an automaker would introduce an electric off-roader. While automakers like Jeep, which announced a plug-in hybrid version of the new Wrangler at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, and Land Rover have committed to electrifying their lineup, small upstate New York startup Bollinger Motors has beat the big guys to the punch with its Land Rover Defender–inspired new all-electric Bollinger B1. Here are six things to know about the new Bollinger B1.
It’s got two motors, four-wheel drive, and locking differentials
Electric motors are simple, but the Bollinger B1’s powertrain is anything but. It features a front and rear electric motor, each driving its respective axle through a single-speed transmission and two-speed transfer case. Both axles have locking differentials for good measure. We’re told that extensive software development went into making sure the B1’s motors play well with each other.
There are two battery outputs with up to 200 miles of range
Bollinger says it’ll offer two different battery packs in the B1. There’s a 60-kW-hr battery offering up 120 miles of range and a 100-kW-hr battery with 200 miles of range. The 60-kW-hr battery pack takes 7 hours to charge on a Level 2 charger, and the 100-kW-hr battery will take 12 hours on the same charger. Bollinger claims the B1 can recharge from empty to full in around an hour and a half on a Level 3 DC fast-charger. The B1 prototype features batteries sourced from the Nissan Leaf, but with Nissan selling its battery business, Bollinger is looking into other battery suppliers.
It’s built on a custom chassis giving it impressive off-road capabilities
Bollinger hand-built its sole B1 prototype on a custom aluminum chassis with stamped aluminum body panels, inspired by the Land Rover Defender. The underside of the B1 is completely flat and helps give the electric off-roader an impressive 15.5 inches of ground clearance and 10 inches of wheel travel. The Bollinger B1 has a military vehicle-like 56-degree approach angle, 33-degree breakover angle, and a 53-degree departure angle.
The interior seats four and can accommodate extra-long cargo
The Bollinger B1’s cabin is rather spartan, with seating for four and simple off-the-shelf gauges. With no engine under the hood, the B1’s front trunk is rather spacious and features a unique pass-through that’ll allow owners to fit 12-foot-long pieces of lumber or other long cargo between the front and rear tailgates. The roof and rear seats are removable, making it possible to convert the B1 into an electric pickup truck.
It’s ready to work
Thanks to extensive use of aluminum, Bollinger says the B1 has a 6,000-pound payload and 6,000-pound towing capacity.
Production should begin in two years
Bollinger has accepted more than 10,000 preorders for the B1 thus far and is in the process of relocating from small Hobart, New York, to the Detroit area to be closer to suppliers. The manufacturer’s next step is to build a handful of test mules, and it expects to start delivering B1s to customers within the next two years. According to the company’s Instagram account, it’s also working on developing a four-door version of the B1. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but expect the B1 to cost between $60,000 and $100,000.
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