If I can pull this thread back to its beginning - the Disco I and many other good vehicles are plentiful and cheap enough now to make excellent raw materials for retrofit hybrids or fully electric vehicles. We all know that cheap oil is gone now and that a small diesel/generator unit could efficiently produce enough power to keep a set of batteries charged. Electric motors have enormous torque at stall and are stunningly reliable. I suspect a 50 hp electric motor would push a Disco quite well; a 100hp motor might be impressive. The fancy technology like regenerative braking probably isn't necessary in a hybrid kit-converted LR.
When I look under the hood at that 4.0 litre Buick V8 in our 96 Disco or the 8.0 litre V8 in our 76 F250 Ford it is obvious that these vehicles can be made more fuel miserly without sacrficing much or any performance.
Perhaps an outfit like Advance Adaptors might pick up this torch and begin to develop a basic true hybrid kit in the $2000 - $5,000 range. What you need is a super reliable small diesel generator - I wonder what is available right now......
I have to admit with gas in the $1.17/liter range here in Canada, we drive our Disco less and less for daily transport rather reserving it more for pleasure. The Ford we only drive when absolutely necessary! A smaller lighter (disposable) commuter car is much cheaper to run for commuting in every way - besides I can pamper the Disco and keep it in better shape when it is driven only a few times per week.
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