THE NEW OLD: Looking to the future of EV conversions.

Raglan was founded in November 2020 in Wilmington, North Carolina by two longtime friends and veterans who believed that innovative applications of modern technology could significantly enhance the experience of owning and driving classic cars. Intrigued by the idea of seamlessly synthesizing the often competing sensations of nostalgia and novelty, Raglan's elegant solution to the various pain points of classic car ownership--maintenance issues, parts scarcity, mechanical expertise--relies on the electrification of the drive train.

The company built a prototype vehicle by early 2021 but chose to delay the debut of their product in order to focus on quality and production worthiness. CEO Joe Comiskey said, "We wanted to differentiate ourselves by having a rigorous focus on product. Throughout our R&D phase, we were constantly guided by the strict engineering standards we're used to from our experience in the military." Over the course of a two-year development phase, the Raglan team believed that it was essential to meticulously innovate and re-engineer the entire vehicle to ensure the quality of their electrification modifications.

Raglan's debut commercial product is an electrified and tastefully reimagined Land Rover Defender. Few cars are as iconic or as evocative of the bygone age of adventure as the Defender. It has a 'classless' quality rare among vehicles. During its legendary history it was owned by queens, farmers, and everyone in between. From the outside one can hardly tell the Defender is even electric. Open the door and you're greeted with the pleasant aromas of leather and wood. The original gauges, converted to run off digital readouts, are there. The only immediate tell-tale something is different about this Defender is the addition of a modern display screen.

With the elimination of internal combustion engine components, all the headaches of Defender ownership have been left firmly in the past. In a noticeable break from the original vehicles, collectors can enjoy their EV Defender without the persistent roar of the diesel over music and conversation, the smell of exhaust fumes, plodding through the gears of the manual transmission, or the painfully slow acceleration. All the elements of a modern EV are there: regenerative braking, modal driving controls, cruise control, a reverse camera, a modern digital display, instantaneous, consistent torque and ample power.

Raglan offers two pathways to the EV Defender. The first is a...