- An electric Range Rover starts sales next year
- Prototypes have to endure temperatures ranging from -40 degrees F to more than 122 degrees F
- Electric versions of the Range Rover Sport and Velar successor are also undergoing testing
An electric version of the iconic Range Rover is coming soon from JLR.
Order books for the vehicle, to be known as the Range Rover Electric, have been open since late 2023, and deliveries are slated to start next year, meaning we’ll likely see it arrive as a 2026 model in the U.S.
Potential buyers won’t need to worry about any loss of capability, as prototypes have endured the same harsh conditions as their gas and plug-in hybrid counterparts. This includes performing in temperatures as low as -40 degrees F and as high as 122 degrees F and beyond.
For the cold-weather testing, prototypes were taken close to the Arctic Circle during the previous winter. The hot-weather testing is close to being signed off and is taking place in multiple locations, as prototypes not only have to endure high temperatures but also high humidity. JLR said prototypes were tested in humidity levels of up to 90%.
Range Rover Electric prototype
To handle the harsh conditions, the Range Rover Electric features a unique thermal management system that ensures the battery, electric motors, and cabin are kept at optimal temperatures. This system works extra hard in high temperatures to ensure power delivery is unaffected, JLR said.
The Range Rover Electric is being developed on a modified version of the MLA (Modular Longitudinal Architecture) platform that underpins the gas and plug-in hybrid Range Rovers, and the vehicles will share a production line at JLR’s plant in Solihull, U.K.
There isn’t much to distinguish the Range Rover Electric from its gas and plug-in hybrid siblings. The only visual cue will be a unique grille. There may also be some underbody changes aimed at improving aerodynamic efficiency.
Additional EVs from JLR will follow in quick succession, including a Range Rover Sport Electric and an electric successor to the Range Rover Velar. The first of a new generation of electric Jaguars will also arrive in 2025 and will be previewed with a concept at the 2024 Miami Art Week starting Dec. 2.