Insurance For Electric Conversion

Am having my Defender 90 converted to full electric power and finding it very difficult to get insurance for the modified vehicle. Am really surprised by this - there isn't any significant change in insurance risk compared with the original but many insurers will not quote at all and the ones that do seem to want outrageous premiums and to apply ridiculous limitations. Anyone got any explanation for this?

A) any modification is enough for most insurance companies not to quote....as it doesn't then fit their preset paradigms
B) Electric vehicles are intrinsically more dangerous in the case of collision

Is the company who are converting the Defender not advising suitable insurance companies.
Most engine conversion would make a few insurers arse twitch as they prefer of the factory floor.
You could ask the insurers what are the breakdown of criteria.
There's several reasons why you hit snags also look on here for a EV Freelander and have a chat.

Hope they don't alter the chassis, if so it will need an IVA.
Insurance companies don't need your money so aren't bothered about insuring what could be a higher risk to them.

@E~FENDER
Is having his done maybe he knows, or will be in a similar boat.

J

DrWill said:

Am having my Defender 90 converted to full electric power and finding it very difficult to get insurance for the modified vehicle. Am really surprised by this - there isn't any significant change in insurance risk compared with the original but many insurers will not quote at all and the ones that do seem to want outrageous premiums and to apply ridiculous limitations. Anyone got any explanation for this?

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Hi DrWill, firstly good to see another EV conversion… sometimes I feel slightly mad, especially while I try to navigate the world of post conversion insurance.

I have had marginal success, not helped that my V5C still currently shows the car as a V8 Petrol. I was actually gonna right something on my thread on insurance shortly, but the issues appear to be two/three fold;

1- huge uncertainty around JLR generally at the moment. A large number are being stolen daily right now. These are generally newer Rangies, Discos and Defenders but any keyless car. JLR seems to be ignoring the issue, so aim for an original keyed ignition which will also allow you to have an immobiliser fitted.

2- increase in value. Conversions aren’t cheap so the value rises on the base car. Mine is also technically a classic car, so often restricted to smaller classic focused insurers. They seem fine but the underwriters are the issue … but things do seem to be changing there.

3- We don’t actually have access to off street parking right now, and many insurers want garages vehicles or at least offstreet parking. Safe to say we live in a pretty safe city and getting hold of either is tricky, which is why you see far more expensive Ferraris and the like parked on the street with seemingly no issues! So if you can find somewhere to park it more securely that will help.

Beneagles said:

A) any modification is enough for most insurance companies not to quote....as it doesn't then fit their preset paradigms
B) Electric vehicles are intrinsically more dangerous in the case of collision

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Judging by the pictures from around the world EV's also have a distressing tendency to catch fire & once alight seem to be more difficult to extinguish.
Unsurprisingly underwriters, who base their premiums on perceived risk, are a bit twitchy about such modifications

norseman said:

Judging by the pictures from around the world EV's also have a distressing tendency to catch fire & once alight seem to be more difficult to extinguish.
Unsurprisingly underwriters, who base their premiums on perceived risk, are a bit twitchy about such modifications

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Not being a fire expert here. is it possible to have a chain reaction. Because of the battery makeup which majority of supplied from china cause fresh water to break down. So in effect acceleration of the fire.
Electric fire was normally extiquished by using Co2 dry powder. Like some of cheap bikes that are going up recently.

saxavordian said:

Not being a fire expert here. is it possible to have a chain reaction. Because of the battery makeup which majority of supplied from china cause fresh water to break down. So in effect acceleration of the fire.
Electric fire was normally extiquished by using Co2 dry powder. Like some of cheap bikes that are going up recently.

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Automated management of EV battery temperature is very important & some EV manufactures are seen to be better at it than others. I can't help but wonder if conversions fall into the latter category.

Frankly I wouldn't touch one of these things with a barge pole

norseman said:

Judging by the pictures from around the world EV's also have a distressing tendency to catch fire & once alight seem to be more difficult to extinguish.
Unsurprisingly underwriters, who base their premiums on perceived risk, are a bit twitchy about such modifications

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Sorry to dampen your flames, but this EV misinformation has been 'debunked' by a number of sources. I believe the stats are that ICE cars are actually more likely to ignite than EV's. There is a thread on here where a poor chaps ICE Landy caught fire and he has nursed it back to health.

A wee bit of reading here; https://fullycharged.show/blog/lies-damned-lies-statistics-debunking-electric-car-myths/

And; https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-...earch indicates that,a very small sample size.

E~FENDER said:

Sorry to dampen your flames, but this EV misinformation has been 'debunked' by a number of sources. I believe the stats are that ICE cars are actually more likely to ignite than EV's. There is a thread on here where a poor chaps ICE Landy caught fire and he has nursed it back to health.

A wee bit of reading here; https://fullycharged.show/blog/lies-damned-lies-statistics-debunking-electric-car-myths/

And; https://www.thecarexpert.co.uk/are-electric-car-fires-really-that-common/#:~:text=“Our latest research indicates that,a very small sample size.

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While having browse through your link, I note the use of the young girl death by pollution to equate the need for EVs.
Rather a pointless blunt tool, in consideration of the majority of adults and children before and after that event have not died.
While watching a recent panorama project programme the key fault was to say the government needs to support more infrastructure. Bollox the petrol station providers such as shell Texaco and supermarkets have provided points. It's not the taxpayer responsibility to pay for a luxury it's for companies to promote and provide. So if a large car provider, who on some massive guilt trip makes Ev models they make the charger too for household use.

saxavordian said:

While having browse through your link, I note the use of the young girl death by pollution to equate the need for EVs.
Rather a pointless blunt tool, in consideration of the majority of adults and children before and after that event have not died.
While watching a recent panorama project programme the key fault was to say the government needs to support more infrastructure. Bollox the petrol station providers such as shell Texaco and supermarkets have provided points. It's not the taxpayer responsibility to pay for a luxury it's for companies to promote and provide. So if a large car provider, who on some massive guilt trip makes Ev models they make the charger too for household use.

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Totally agree on the infrastructure point of view, this is a form of revenue, so IF government are installing them, then the money generated from using them (assuming they are not free) should be funnelled into the public purse in the same way fuel tax works --- might be a good offset from the loss in fuel tax.

Of course, this doesn't shut the door for a large number and variety of companies including O&G companies seeing this as an open market and install their own chargers as we are seeing in city streets, motorways, garage forecourts etc. where they make the capital investment and reap the profits as fuel companies have done to date. Of course these profits are also taxed in a similar way to fuel duty and this needs to be fair to users, hence the focus of Quentin Wilson over at FairCharge.

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Of course we are migrating someway from the original post topic here, so I guess we should cycle back to that and discuss charging infrastructure and EV misinformation on a different thread.

E~FENDER said:

Totally agree on the infrastructure point of view, this is a form of revenue, so IF government are installing them, then the money generated from using them (assuming they are not free) should be funnelled into the public purse in the same way fuel tax works --- might be a good offset from the loss in fuel tax.

Of course, this doesn't shut the door for a large number and variety of companies including O&G companies seeing this as an open market and install their own chargers as we are seeing in city streets, motorways, garage forecourts etc. where they make the capital investment and reap the profits as fuel companies have done to date. Of course these profits are also taxed in a similar way to fuel duty and this needs to be fair to users, hence the focus of Quentin Wilson over at FairCharge.

---

Of course we are migrating someway from the original post topic here, so I guess we should cycle back to that and discuss charging infrastructure and EV misinformation on a different thread.

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Quite right apologise for straying off the subject. The quest for insurance has a similar smell pardon the pun as to LPG conversion.
Like many here during a noble contribution to help the environment a bit, LPG was an option nay possible good option, but like the EV conversion fell foul of available points and insurance. This seems geared to car manufacturers off the shelf box ticking insurance than a odd bod. Unless one has deep pockets to accept financial hits this project might sadly end up the LPG route for people wanting conversions. Likewise the Diesel adaptions to Vegetable oil were supply for larger 25lts container became price restricted from certain cash and carry outlets. Hopefully the original poster gets good advice here.

saxavordian said:

Quite right apologise for straying off the subject. The quest for insurance has a similar smell pardon the pun as to LPG conversion.
Like many here during a noble contribution to help the environment a bit, LPG was an option nay possible good option, but like the EV conversion fell foul of available points and insurance. This seems geared to car manufacturers off the shelf box ticking insurance than a odd bod. Unless one has deep pockets to accept financial hits this project might sadly end up the LPG route for people wanting conversions. Likewise the Diesel adaptions to Vegetable oil were supply for larger 25lts container became price restricted from certain cash and carry outlets. Hopefully the original poster gets good advice here.

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You reminded me to update my conversion thread for my own journey through insurance; https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/electric-110-project.385431/post-5540368

E~FENDER said:

There is a thread on here where a poor chaps ICE Landy caught fire and he has nursed it back to health.

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I believe you are probably talking about mine there and I take umbrage with "nursed" it back to health! It has undergone a thorough rebuild and improvement process!

Also on a more serious note with mine the part that caught fire was the additional electrical addons and then all the plastic pipework etc, so nothing do do with engine and drivetrain so would not have made any difference if it was EV or not. Had it been petrol however it would have burnt to the ground.