Land Rover has released the first set of teasers and details of the Range Rover Electric, its first-ever EV SUV. JLR claims that this upcoming EV will offer similar performance to the existing V8-powered flagship.
A waiting list has also been opened for the upcoming Range Rover Electric. The firm had originally indicated that order books for the EV model would open before the end of this year, but the new waiting list falls a little short of that: people who sign up to it will be given the first opportunity to pre-order a model when formal sales begin at some point in 2024.
- Range Rover EV international sales to begin in 2024
- Will be based on existing Range Rover platform
- To come with an 800V EV architecture
Range Rover Electric: what’s new?
The first battery-electric Range Rover will be based on the existing combustion-engined model, and JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) product engineering boss Thomas Muller claims it will be “the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever”.
The electric model will use the same MLA platform – engineered for both hybrid and electric powertrains – as the existing model. Preview images show that it will also retain similar styling, albeit with a few bespoke elements. The EV will use an 800V architecture, which will enable ultra-fast charging.
The Range Rover EV, which will serve as a rival to the BMW iX and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, remains under wraps (even camouflaged prototypes have yet to hit public roads), but visually it's unlikely to differ substantially from the ICE-powered car. The subtle evolution of the Range Rover’s design over the years suggests its recognisable silhouette is intrinsic to the model name, so it's likely to be maintained for all powertrain variants.
Range Rover Electric: performance highlights
Although Range Rover bosses have yet to give any performance details for the new model, Muller says it will have the same “go-anywhere” capability as the ICE version, with a pledge that its towing, wading and all-terrain capabilities will exceed any other luxury electric SUV – including the ability to wade through 850mm-deep water.
The hint that the Range Rover Electric will offer performance “comparable” to the existing V8 suggests a total output close to the 530hp that model offers. It is expected to adopt a twin-motor set-up, which will allow for greater all-wheel-drive ability and systems such as torque vectoring to boost its off-road potential.
Road-testing for the EV has started, with trials taking place in locations such as Sweden and Dubai. The firm says its test programme has been adapted to particularly examine the vehicle’s underfloor, battery durability and thermal derating.
The Range Rover Electric will be built at JLR's Solihull plant alongside the existing mild- and plug-in hybrid versions. It will initially use batteries from a third-party supplier before eventually switching to packs produced in the new Somerset gigafactory that JLR's parent firm Tata Motors is planning. Batteries and electric drive units for the new model will be assembled at JLR’s new electric propulsion manufacturing centre in Wolverhampton.
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