Range Rover Electric prototype revealed

JLR is currently testing the Range Rover EV in the Arctic Circle.

Published On Apr 23, 2024 12:51:00 PM

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The Range Rover EV prototype has been revealed as it enters the final stages of testing ahead of global debut later this year. The Range Rover EV is expected to go on sale in multiple markets, including India, as the brand has already opened a "waiting list" for the SUV in our market. JLR opened the global waiting list for the electric Range Rover in December last year and by February claimed to have taken more than 16,000 expressions of interest.

Range Rover Electric shown without camouflage
Looks quite similar to combustion-engined Range Rovers
Expected to get dual-motor system to simulate 4WD

Range Rover EV prototype: what do the images show?

New images show JLR's second production EV testing in the Arctic Circle – following a year of component and virtual tests – where temperatures fall as low as -40 degrees C. Unusually, the Range Rover EV has been shown completely uncamouflaged; this decision was made to "underline the build quality of the initial prototypes", according to JLR.

Painted all in black and without the contrasting matt trim elements that JLR has previously suggested will mark out the EV powertrain, the prototype looks all but identical to the ICE Range Rover that has been on sale since 2022.

JLR said these new images show how the prototype's "modernist design language stays true to the Range Rover bloodline", suggesting that the Range Rover Electric – as it is officially named – will only be subtly differentiated from the straight-six, V8 and plug-in hybrid derivatives.

Mercedes-Benz is taking a similar approach with the electric version of the G-Class, which will be revealed this week at the Beijing motor show, and is tipped to remain largely identical to the fuel-burning variants.

The focus at this stage of the Range Rover Electric's development programme is said to be the performance of its gearbox, electric motors and electronics in extreme conditions. JLR highlighted that this is the first car to use a battery and electric drive unit (EDU) assembled in-house.

Range Rover EV prototype: what else is known?

No specific technical details or performance figures have yet been given, however, beyond the earlier confirmation that it will use an 800V charging architecture. It's expected to adopt a dual-motor system, which will allow for greater four-wheel-drive ability and systems such as torque vectoring to boost its off-road potential.

The Range Rover Electric will be built in Solihull, UK alongside the existing mild-hybrid and PHEV versions. It will initially use batteries from a third-party supplier before eventually switching to packs produced in the new Somerset gigafactory that JLR parent firm Tata is planning.

JLR to build EVs in India at new Chennai plant

Tata Motors had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to invest Rs 9,000 crore in the state to setup an EV plant. The plant is likely to come up at Ranipet and sources say that the manufacturer could use it to produce Jaguar Land Rover EVs. Additionally, Autocar India learns that beyond manufacturing EVs for JLR, the Tata Group is also looking at moving some of the ICE model production of JLR to India, given the demands of EU and UK legislation that may pose a challenge to manufacture IC engines there.

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