With the last Defender rolling off the Land Rover line in 2016, the Landcruiser ’76 Series is now one of the last remaining 4WD icons. Maybe the Bollinger B1 shows that soul can be part of the electric future.

While for now exploring Australia in a Bollinger B1 might be a case of charge by the day, drive by night – much like Matt Damon exploring Mars in Ridley Scott’s ‘The Martian’.

But the electric car industry is moving at a rapid rate, and it’s not hard to imagine a Bollinger fit for Western Australia’s long distance Canning Stock Route in the not too distant future.

With 15.5 inches of ground clearance, 10 inches of wheel travel, 56° approach, 33° ramp over and 55° departure the Bollinger B1 is no soft-roader. Add 28570R17 BFGoodrich Mud Terrains, a 12,000 lb hydraulic winch, twin electronic diff locks, and a 4 x low range torque converter and the B1 is certainly starting to pique our interest.

The dual (front + rear) electric motors are something else. Read these figures slowly. 360 horsepower. 472 lb-ft torque. And wait for it 0-60 mph (0-96.6 kph) in 4.5 seconds! Yes 4.5. Perhaps this is where things start to differ from the Defender? And with any luck oil stays positioned only where intended and the B1 is Toyota reliable and Bollinger could be on to something special.

It comfortably fits four adults and has cavernous storage – so what’s missing? Well it’s back to range. Perhaps long range batteries are an easy option? So how do we charge them? How many solar blankets would be needed? How long would they need to be connected?

A morning of travel an afternoon of charge? We’d love to find out!

So congratulations to Robert Bollinger and his team for creating a wonderful version of what an adventurous future may be.

Mike Collister

Mike Collister has spent his life outdoors. He has represented Australia as a slalom kayaker, guided whitewater expeditions in Nepal, and taught outdoor education and wilderness medicine. He’s paddled the Kimberley’s Fitzroy River in the wet season and across the Bass Strait and is an avid photographer, overlander and camper.