Table of Contents
The first all-electric Range Rover will be unveiled later this year, but we’ve already had an initial idea of what the battery-powered luxury SUV will look and perform.
Parent company JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) has revealed images and footage of its first electric Range Rover during final stage testing in icy conditions in the Arctic Circle.
It shows a prototype version of the SUV driving in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius as part of its sub-zero ‘calibration evaluation’ and, more importantly, it’s the first time we’ve seen the Range Rover Electric without any camouflage. to hide some of its angles.
The Range Rover Electric breaks the cover: This is our first look at the new battery-powered, camouflage-free luxury SUV. While it may look the same as the petrol/diesel Range Rover on sale from 2022, what’s underneath is very different.
JLR said the decision to provide a glimpse of the undisguised vehicle is for “uUnderline the construction quality of the initial prototypes.
But that does not mean that many differences can be detected with the conventional Range Rover that is on sale from 2022.
Finished in black paint, the EV version looks almost identical to the same vehicle already in showrooms, save for the charging cover that slides to reveal the plug for plugging it in.
The brand says the “modernist design language” stays true to the “Range Rover lineage.”
The reason for its tests in the Arctic Circle
JLR believes the Range Rover Electric will “lead the way in electric propulsion capability, refinement and luxury travel.”
However, before it can go on sale, it must complete an extensive program of extreme temperature evaluations, and the vehicle must also be put to the test in scorching +50°C heat in the Middle East desert.
The Arctic Circle tests focus on the capacity of the battery and electric propulsion unit (EDU) – actually the main components of the vehicle, including the transmission, electric motor and power electronics – in the coldest conditions imaginable.
Both the battery and EDU are assembled in-house by JLR in a first for the brand.
Brand says “modernist design language” stays true to “Range Rover lineage”
JLR says the Range Rover Electric is carrying out extreme temperature testing to ensure the drivetrain and battery can cope with the different conditions.
Testing on frozen lakes in Sweden to modify the drivetrain has now concluded, and JLR is desperate for the Range Rover Electric to “exceed its already renowned performance on low-grip surfaces” in a bid to ensure “all-terrain, all-round” capability. type of weather and The off-road capability of the Range Rover remains unmatched.”
JLR also revealed that the Range Rover Electric does not use a conventional ABS-based traction control system. Instead, internally developed software can precisely manage slippage at each wheel.
This has reduced the “torque reaction time at each wheel from about 100 milliseconds to just one millisecond,” the company says.
As such, the brand claims that traction is “maximized on all surfaces with exceptional response and composed refinement, significantly enhancing the Range Rover driving experience.”
Thomas Mueller, executive director of project engineering at JLR, said: “Range Rover with electric propulsion – it means the usual Range Rover luxury, refinement and capability, plus near-silent all-electric propulsion; with smooth and relaxed rides without effort.
“To ensure we leave nothing uncovered, we are well advanced with our development program and physical testing, all designed to take the Range Rover Electric to the extreme to ensure its capability remains unparalleled when it reaches you.”
JLR is desperate for the Range Rover Electric to “exceed its already renowned performance on low-grip surfaces” in a bid to ensure “the Range Rover’s all-terrain, all-weather and all-terrain capability remains unparalleled”.
What is the range of the battery?
JLR has, for now, remained mum on many of the Range Rover Electric’s performance details.
What we do know is that it will use an 800V charging architecture, which will put it on par with Porsche’s Taycan, Kia’s EV6 and EV9 SUV, as well as the Hyundai Ioniq5 and Ioniq6 ‘streamliner’ to provide charging solutions. ultra-fast charging. .
Bosses at the British brand have previously stated that the electric Rangie will offer “comparable” performance to the existing V8 model, suggesting it should have around 520bhp.
And it promises to be the smoothest and quietest Range Rover yet, given its electric credentials.
JLR has not discussed battery range, but given the architecture and size of the battery pack, many expect the Range Rover Electric to be able to complete around 400 miles on a single charge.
Initially, the batteries will be supplied by an external company.
However, following the completion of JLR’s £4bn Somerset gigafactory (funded by parent group Tata and scheduled to open in 2026), the company will be able to start using its own batteries.
Part of sub-zero testing includes ensuring the battery can be charged efficiently, even when temperatures are at shockingly low levels.
How much will it cost?
The Range Rover Electric will be manufactured in Britain at the company’s Solihull plant, where it will be assembled alongside existing Range Rover mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.
JLR opened the waiting list for the Range Rover Electric in December and in February claimed to have received more than 16,000 “expressions of interest”, although these are not necessarily orders.
Until the car is officially unveiled, pricing will remain a secret.
However, with the Range Rover already starting at just over £100,000, the all-electric model could cost closer to £150,000.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them, we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.