The electric Range Rover is expected to hit showrooms next year, but it’s still making headlines. Land Rover recently tested their electric flagship SUV in Arctic Sweden to see how it holds up in extreme cold conditions. Electric vehicles (EVs) are known for poor performance in frigid weather, causing energy expenditure to increase.
It drove across a frozen lake in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The automaker said the traction control system delivered “exceptional levels of performance” on the icy lakes.
The SUV was also tested in the Middle East to test the drive unit’s performance in extreme heat, nearly 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Range Rover with electric power — means customary Range Rover luxury, refinement, and capability plus near-silent fully electric propulsion; with effortlessly smooth and relaxed journeys,” Thomas Mueller, executive director of product engineering at Land Rover, said in a statement. “To ensure we leave no stone uncovered, we are well underway with our physical testing and development program, all designed at pushing Range Rover Electric to the extremes to help ensure its capability remains unparalleled when it reaches you.”
Images from Sweden test how a blacked-out Range Rover with white LED lights, proving that it is still a luxury SUV with off road capabilities. It’s competing against rivals like Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes — European brands with substantial luxury EV lineups.
Photo Courtesy Land Rover
However, Range Rover should take comfort in knowing that demand for the electric Range Rover is growing. The Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) 2023 investor report shows a more than 20% increase in sales year-to-year, with the Range Rover selling up to 58,280 units wholesale. North America saw a 21% increase in all JLR sales.
The company also said they have more than 16,000 potential customers on the waitlist. The SUV will be built like a V8 model but with no emissions. The batteries and drive unit will be built at Wolverhampton, England’s JLR Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Center. The chassis and underbody will be built at the Solihull, United Kingdom, plant.
“We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created,” Mueller said in another statement.
“The magic ingredients that underpin the success of Range Rover remain unchanged: timeless, reductionist design, a serene cabin, and capability — but now offered with zero tailpipe emissions.”
The 800V electric architecture combined with software gives drivers more control over the wheels and more traction and handling, even on the toughest roads. The SUV is designed to be rugged and luxurious at the same time.
Photo Courtesy Land Rover
We’ll have to wait until closer to its arrival in showrooms to learn about battery range and price point. The current gas-powered Land Rover Range Rover costs around $41,800 for the base trim but can go as high as $177,200 for the SVAutobiography Dynamic version. Car and Driver estimates the cost of the electric version to start at $120,000. Keep note: no clean vehicle tax credits are available for it since it is a European-assembled vehicle.
JLR remains a key player in the global automotive market. The investor report said it made around $8.6 billion (£6.9 billion) in the first quarter of 2024. The year is still young, and with the revival of the Land Rover Defender, the extensive Range Rover lineup, the electric Jaguar I-PACE, and Jaguar’s foray into Formula E, the brand is doing better than ever.
