New Delhi:Range Rover has finally brought an electric version of its flagship SUV, claiming up to 600 km of EPA-rated range. Order books for the electric SUV have
opened for the Range Rover Electric standard wheelbase in Autobiography and the long-wheelbase in SV, SV Ultra, and SV Black trims. The company is also accepting orders for the standard-wheelbase Range Rover Electric First Edition.
Manufactured alongside the ICE and hybrid models at the brand’s Solihull, UK facility, it is the first battery-powered Range Rover in its 56 years of existence as a nameplate. Power is delivered from two permanent-magnet motors, one on each axle, making a total of 542 hp and 827 Nm of torque. It is torque that is more than any Range Rover ever.
Range Rover Electric retains the proportions that make it stand out
The SUV can do 0-100 kph in about 4.3 seconds, and that means you do have a V8 SUV-like power under your right foot but without fuel being dropped anywhere. There are three colour options which are Belgravia Green, Santorini Black and Varesine Blue. Interior-wise, it has combined Light Cloud Ultrafabrics with Kvadrat upholstery.
Range Rover electric: Battery, charging and off-roading capability
The Range Rover Electric draws power from a 118.5kWh lithium-ion battery arranged in a double-layer configuration, featuring 344 prismatic cells. The system functions on an 800-volt electrical architecture and supports split charging. When connected to a 350kW DC fast charger, Land Rover claims the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in about 22 minutes. At the maximum charging rate, just 10 minutes of charging can deliver about 200 km+ of additional driving range.
Despite its electric powertrain, off-road performance remains key to the Range Rover formula. Its Integrated Traction Management system can alter motor speed in as low as 50 milliseconds. JLR says this allows it to respond to wheel slip around 100 times faster than a conventional combustion-powered system. The Intelligent Driveline Dynamics system further enhances traction by directing anywhere between 0 and 100 per cent of available rear torque when required.
Despite the electric powertrain, it retains its familiar off-roading capability
A Single Pedal mode is also available, which lets the SUV negotiate inclines of up to 33 degrees and descents as steep as 45 degrees using accelerator input alone. The electric SUV retains the brand’s water-crossing ability as well, with a maximum wading depth of up to 35 inches.
According to JLR Vehicle Engineering Director Matt Becker, engineers focused on ensuring that electrification did not compromise the Range Rover’s trademark refinement or all-terrain capability. He further said the SUV remains composed and controlled across everything from rough, low-grip surfaces to smooth roads at high speeds.
Range Rover Electric interior
The battery packs and electric drive units are made at JLR’s Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton. The facility also produces the company’s combustion engines and is described by JLR as the UK’s largest site of its type.
The Range Rover Electric sits with other electrified models, which include the Range Rover plug-in hybrid and the smaller Range Rover Sport Electric, which uses a related electric powertrain. Whether you are an EV evangelist or not, the Range Rover Electric does put one of the best off-roaders in a modern powertrain. With many brands shifting to electric powertrains, this was sitting out, and now it gives buyers the option to go zero-emission.
