On May 2 2013, Greensafaris presented the eLandy, a fully electric Land rover to be used as safari vehicle for game drives. The eLandy is charged using solar-energy, doesn't have a noisy diesel engine and enables guests to experience the African bush in a silent, and more natural, way.

May 08, 2013

The eLandy was developed by the Dutch technology firm Emke Engineering, together with the Mukambi Safari Lodge in Zambia and Greensafaris, a subsidiary of the Dutch venture capitalist eVentures. This fully electric vehicle makes for silent and emission free game drives. The creators of the eLandy expect the solar charged Land Rover will add a whole new dimension to the safari experience. Instead of the roaring diesel engine, the sounds of the bush will get center focus. The expectations are for more productive game drives; seeing more wildlife at closer range.

The eLandy has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions. It has full off-road capabilities, a range of 56 miles (90 km), a top speed of 43 mph (70 km/h) and carries up to 9 passengers. The vehicle will be presented on May 2, 2013 to the press and safari tour operators, just before it ships to Zambia. Guido Broek, marketing director of WWF Netherlands, said the eLandy is a great example of how technological innovation and eco-tourism can go hand-in-hand and the WWF supports these kinds of initiatives.

The new Moshi Safari Lodge in Kafue National Park, Zambia, will be the first to use the eLandy, starting with the next season. Besides the eLandy, this brand new lodge features more eco-technologies and will take the concept of eco-safaris to a whole new level.

For more information and photos of the development process, please visit http://www.elandy.nl.