Gaydon, England - For 2027, Range Rover is preparing to plunge into the battery-electric vehicle (BEV) segment with the Range Rover Electric. It’s not the first time the model has seen an electrified version of course, since there’s been a plug-in hybrid version since 2023. Jaguar has had the I-Pace since 2018 as well.
But this long-awaited debut marks the first time we see a full-electric Land Rover or Range Rover of any kind. Indeed, with the proliferation of high-luxury electric vehicles such as the GMC Hummer as well as the upcoming Mercedes G-Class G 580 and Cadillac Escalade IQ, the time is ripe for Range Rover to offer its take on the formula.
Design of the Range Rover Electric
You won’t really tell from looking at it, however. The Electric remains unmistakably a Range Rover, still providing the tall greenhouse, long hood and aggressively raked rear window, albeit in a somewhat larger scale, that it’s had since its inception in 1970. That first version certainly impressed at the time, earning the distinction of being the first vehicle ever to feature in the famous Louvre art gallery in Paris.
Today, we find the jeweled grille, the sparkling wheels and top-drawer paint finish on the Electric. But while it doesn’t look that different from the gas vehicle, that’s no bad thing because the Range Rover has always been considered one of the most handsome SUVs you can buy. While the likes if BMW, Mercedes and Cadillac have all come to the table with their own luxury vehicles, none of them have the presence of a Range Rover. While they’ll never admit it, even Rolls Royce seemed to be inspired by the Range Rover when it came time to design their Cullinan, the stance and roofline of which is eerily similar to what we’ve seen on Range Rovers for years.
And there’s a reason for that: over the years, the Range Rover has evolved from just a piece of art to one that looks good but is also immensely capable. Even as an EV.
“Range Rover’s breadth of capability is uncompromised thanks to the combination of a powerful, adaptable electric powertrain and advanced chassis technologies that make every Range Rover peerless, accomplished and desired,” said Martin Lampert, managing director at Range Rover. “We took our testing and development programs even further than originally intended to ensure Range Rover Electric is genuinely the most accomplished Range Rover ever.” Meaning they had to make the Electric the world’s most capable and luxurious SUV. No compromise.
Of course, there are cues that separate the Electric from other Range Rovers. The grille has been mostly filled in, since an EV like this favours aerodynamics over the need to cool an empty engine bay. The wheels have also been optimized for aerodynamic performance, with a special insignia on their hub and a nearly flat underside. Range Rover even redesigned the charge port, which opens smoothly under electric power. This is a Range Rover, and every piece needs that required touch of class.
Powertrain of the Range Rover Electric
Being a Range Rover, though, it also needs to function. Power comes courtesy of two 260-kilowatt motors capable of delivering 542 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. It also gets 800V high-speed charging, and its maker claims that 97 percent of journeys taken by Range Rover Electric drivers will be completed without the need to charge. To help achieve that, the Electric gets one-pedal driving that allows drivers to charge as they drive simply by lifting off the accelerator, which is very effective in stop-and-go traffic.
When drivers do get the chance to plug in, they can add up to 201 km (125 miles) every 10 minutes at 350 kw of charge. Since the current 460 generation of the Range Rover was developed from the ground up to be an EV, there’s no interior cargo space or passenger space lost to accommodate the 118.5-kWh lithium-ion battery, and the only hit to its off-road abilities is a slightly lower breakover angle.
Power figures are one thing (and they help take the Range EV from 0-100 km in a scant 4.3 seconds), but the bigger deal here is that all that power is immediately accessible from stop, with no need to deal with a multi-ratio transmission. That means better response times when travelling both on- and off-road.
When off-roading, power can be immediately shuffled to whichever wheel has the most purchase. And we do mean immediately – this happens 100 times faster than it does in the gas model. Of course, the EV also gets Range Rover’s Terrain Response system so drivers can choose from a number of off-road modes.
Rear-wheel steering returns from the gas model, with the rear wheels swivelling up to 7.3-degrees to help shrink the turning radius and improve stability.
In addition to rock crawl, mud and ruts modes and so on, the wade mode also returns. The Electric can wade through 900 mm of water, same as the gas version.
Interior of the Range Rover Electric
To help keep thing as relaxed as possible inside no matter the situation, the Electric gets noise cancelling headrests as well as the brand’s new Body And Soul Seats (BASS). For the uninitiated: what BASS seating does is take the front seats and use actuators within to move with the music you’re listen to or with a number of presets. You can choose to have the sounds of a spa waft through your speakers (a vibe that’s sure to be complimented by the first ever Range Rover in-car fragrance system) or something with a more upbeat vibe, all of which make use of the in-seat actuators to provide a 4D experience.
The Range Rover Electric will be built on the same line as its ICE brethren and we can expect to see them in dealers before the end of this year. And that includes in Canada.