Land Cruisers electric conversion coming to South Africa

[Jan]

Electric Land Cruisers are coming to South Africa — but not from Toyota

Electric safari vehicles that are quieter and more environmentally friendly could soon be seen in South Africa's game parks.

The safari vehicles are the work of Kenyan-Swedish startup Opibus, which offers electric conversion of popular off-road vehicles like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender for game reserves.

 

[Gazg]

Also great for sneaking up on scum of the earth poachers.

 

[mypetcow]

Good. It's about time. Too bad that Toyota isn't doing this by themselves...they still want to make hydrogen happen

 

[Gravedigger]

Now this is cool. There were already game reserves that adopted this electric conversions, very long ago. Cannot remember what country it was, but definitely one of the African countries. SANParks must have done it already, ages ago...

 

[Nomad2]

There is already an electric Land Rover in Sabi Sands. The current problem is that the wildlife are used to the noise and smell of the diesels but are still unsure about the electric vehicle. It isn't noiseless but is quieter.

 

[Jan]

Solar-powered 4x4s are changing game drives forever

For Sipps Maswanganyi, a safari guide with 20 years of experience in the African bush, it was one memorable sighting that sold him on electric safari vehicles.

“I could hear this buffalo panting heavily deep in the bushes,” recalls Maswanganyi, head guide at Cheetah Plains, a luxury outfit in South Africa’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Following those faint sounds, he found a 1,500-pound bovine on its last breaths, being taken down by seven stealthy lionesses. “If I was in a noisy diesel vehicle, I would have driven right past, not hearing a thing, and we would have missed it all.”