Range Rover Sport EV to be unveiled this year

JLR's revised EV roadmap will see six new electric vehicles revealed by 2026.

Published On Mar 29, 2024 08:30:00 AM

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Range Rover Sport SV used for representation only.

JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) is planning to unveil an electric version of the Range Rover Sport later this year – it’ll the second of the six new EVs to arrive in international markets by 2026. Three years after the radical Reimagine transformation strategy was announced by ex-CEO Theirry Bollore, current CEO, Adrian Mardell, has revealed an updated electrification strategy.

He said: “We talked about six Land Rovers by 2026. The reality is we’re likely to have six JLR products by 2026. We’re taking our time to make sure we put the best vehicles we’ve ever developed into the marketplace with that new technology.” The reworked electrification plan is meant to enable further development time and cater to shifts in consumer demand.

4 Range Rover EVs and 2 Jaguar EVs to be revealed by 2026
Will adopt the 800V charging infrastructure for rapid top-ups
JLR evaluating making EVs in India

Land Rover EVs: Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar, Evoque

The revised strategy will see models like the Range Rover EV (which had over 16,000 interested buyers barely two months after bookings opened) and the Range Rover Sport EV coming first. Both will be underpinned by the MLA platform, which is also used for the existing combustion models. Two smaller SUVs based on the new EMA platform (shared with the upcoming Tata Avinya) will likely be the electrified Range Rover Evoque and Velar. The electric substitutes for the Discovery Sport and Defender will also be a part of Land Rover's future EV portfolio, and will be revealed sometime after 2026.

Jaguar EVs: four-door GT, ultra luxury SUV

Coming to Jaguar, there would be two electric models by 2026 – one is a four-door GT that’s expected to be revealed later this year. The other will be a luxurious SUV that would likely rival the likes of the Bentley Bentayga. Both EVs based on Jaguar’s JEA architecture. The brand will follow up with a BMW i7- rivalling luxury sedan on this platform shortly afterwards.

Mardell also claims that the shift in the electrification strategy will not have any impact in the company’s operation. He also added that, “We’re a little slower than we said three years ago. That really isn’t a business challenge for us today, for those other dynamics in the marketplace, and we’re fully committed to the macro schedule: every product will be electrified by the end of the decade.”

JLR EVs: battery, range, performance

JLR has continued to remain tight-lipped about the performance figures for its upcoming EVs. However, the brand has claimed that the upcoming Range Rover Sport EV will feature go-anywhere capability and the performance comparable to the V8.

The battery specifications are also still unknown, but we do know that all the models will have 800V charging hardware. This will enable charging speeds of up to 270kW for rapid top-ups. Furthermore, the Range Rover EV will be built at the 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 company, Tata, is planning.

JLR India EV manufacturing plans

As negotiations continue for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, JLR is actively considering producing EVs in India. If approved, this move would result in the largest manufacturing facility for JLR outside of the UK. Sanand, Gujarat, is the primary location under consideration for investment, although other options such as Pune, the company's original home base, are also being explored.

Also see:

JLR turns focus to PHEVs amidst global slowdown in EV sales

JLR India sales up 93 percent year on year