2025 Range Rover Electric is expected to be unique & capable

Update: ‘Release Date’ section updated and ‘Fewer Land Rover EVs by 2026 under the ‘Reimagine’ strategy’ section added.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) looks confident about successfully electrifying even the biggest models, including the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. As part of the fifth-gen Range Rover announcement, it has confirmed the launch of a Range Rover Electric in 2024. Besides the Land Rover Defender EV, the Range Rover Sport Electric and Range Rover Electric will be the most daring vehicle projects under the company’s Reimagine strategy.

I’m also very excited to let you know and to announce that we are going to launch the all-electric, 100% electric Range Rover by 2024.

Lennard Hoornik, Chief Commercial Officer, Jaguar Land Rover (Fifth-generation Range Rover world premiere on October 26, 2021)

Here’s what we expect from the Range Rover Electric.

Range Rover first, electric second

The Range Rover EV will be every bit Range Rover as the gas model, if not even more. Checking all the boxes required to be worthy of the esteemed name is the first priority for this model, JLR COO Lennard Hoornik indicated in an interview with Forbes India in September 2023. He said that JLR doesn’t want to build just an EV, it wants to make a Ranger Rover EV.

Stating some examples, Hoornik said that the Range Rover Electric must be capable of rock crawling and managing submersion of 90 cm (35.4 in.) – the same as the gas model. We must make a note here that the wading depth has turned out to be slightly lower – 33.4 in. Engineering such an SUV, which also has a big battery at the bottom, is difficult, Hoornik added, but he’s confident that JLR will accomplish the challenge by releasing it on the market (starting customer deliveries) by 2025.

We wonder what percentage of Range Rover clients, typically rich businessmen, politicians, celebrities, and other VIPs, go extreme off-roading enthusiastically or, as dramatized in James Bond and other action movies, as part of a chase situation. However, that capability is a prerequisite, as it’s the essence of a Land Rover, no matter where it stands in the line-up and who its target customers are.

Design

A clip of what we reckon is the Range Rover EV, released in October 2022 when Land Rover announced its partnership with Wolfspeed, indicates that the electric version will repurpose the fifth-gen Range Rover’s body. There’s no doubt the company kept in mind that it planned to fully electrify the latter when it started creating its reductive design.

The drag coefficient (0.30 Cd) is around 10% lower than in the outgoing model (0.34 Cd), beats the Mercedes GLS (0.32 Cd), and gives it best-in-class aerodynamics. With this significantly lower drag coefficient figure, the all-new Range Rover is the world’s most aerodynamically efficient luxury SUV, JLR claims. Any further refinement in this area can only help improve the range of the EV model.

Land Rover has prepared an excellent base for the Range Rover Electric. With such a clean and aerodynamic body, drastic changes are unlikely. The only real changes will be a shut-off/faux radiator grille, unique bumpers, and aerodynamic wheels.

The Electric Range Rover should have subtle design cues to let the world know where the brand is headed in its evolution. So, while we haven’t thrown in a glossy or curvy panel in place of the radiator grille, we used a slightly cleaner yet just as sophisticated grille—some may think even more so—featuring a square mesh pattern in our illustration (above). A royal blue V-shaped frame for the exquisitely blanked-off upper grille and a metal blade in a matching color above the skid plate are among the subtle exclusivities at the front.

JLR has since released a set of teasers that reveal most of the design changes on the Range Rover Electric. The upper grille of the EV has a similar design, but it is almost fully covered and features slim rectangular openings. On the sides, the trademark signature side graphic has an elegant, rose gold-like shade.

The chunky multi-spoke alloy wheels carry a special aerodynamic design without upsetting the planted and purposeful stance. They feature a two-tone silver-black finish and an “EV” center cap instead of the familiar Land Rover oval center cap. However, JLR may offer other design and finish options for the wheels. The electric SUV likely features a power-sliding cover to open or secure the charging port.

LWB version has a big future

JLR North America President and CEO Joe Eberhardt told Automotive News on May 7, 2022, that customers were looking forward to the three-row version of the Range Rover gasoline model. He expects 60% of orders to be the short-wheelbase version and 40% of orders to be the long-wheelbase SUV in the United States. The majority of the long-wheelbase cars are expected to be configured with three rows of seats.

Moreover, Eberhardt also stated that the three-row SUV is the most usable variant, where the seats can be folded to expand the boot. As it’s clear that many customers prefer three-row seating, Land Rover is unlikely to ignore their needs in the EV.

Range Rover Electric SV

A Range Rover Electric SV is also in the pipeline. Arriving from the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, the all-electric Range Rover SV should offer exclusive design details, colors, and materials. A high degree of personalization would let customers configure a more luxurious and unique SUV.

Michael van der Sande, former MD – SVO, Jaguar Land Rover, had told Autocar that the company wants the first SV EV as emotionally attractive as the SV models with an internal combustion engine. The electric SVs from Land Rover will likely include some go-fast SUVs and perhaps some off-road-specializing SUVs, as electric powertrains can improve off-road capability.

Interior

According to Hennessy Land Rover Gwinnett (landrovergwinnett.com), a Land Rover dealership in Duluth (Georgia), USA, the Range Rover Electric is expected in 4-7 seat versions. The pure-electric Range Rover will feature the largest screens Land Rover offers. A leather-free interior will be available optionally to make it even more appealing for eco-conscious customers who stand against animal cruelty and seek a vegan alternative. Wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and a wireless smartphone charger will be standard, helping customers avoid extra wires and further save the environment.

In the combustion model, JLR has used the Pivi Pro touchscreen infotainment system with a 13.3-inch curved, floating screen—the largest ever touchscreen in a Land Rover. The new central display, in what’s a Land Rover-first feature, provides haptic feedback on touching and pressing the screen, making its usage less distractive. Expect the same in the pure-electric version.

Likewise, a 13.7-inch semi-floating, fully digital instrument cluster works in sync with the Pivi Pro system. The new climate control panel is more conventional. The electronic gear selector is a new short and compact unit, in line with the new reduced design theme. Rear-seat passengers can entertain themselves with adjustable 11.4-inch HD touchscreens. We don’t see why Land Rover will change these features in the EV model.

An 8-inch touchscreen residing in the rear center armrest allows controlling the seating position and making other adjustments to fine-tune the rear cabin environment. For the first time, customers can specify their Range Rover as a seven-seater, and so big families no longer need to settle for the Range Rover Sport.

Specifications

MLA-Flex platform

The all-new Range Rover opens a new chapter for the brand, debuting a game-changing platform, MLA-Flex, that will prepare it to go all-electric. MLA-Flex will enable Land Rover to package even the heaviest SUVs with everything from conventional engines to hybrid systems and fully electric powertrains. Land Rover plans to utilize MLA-Flex for many models in a top-down approach, and the big daddy Range Rover is the first of the lot.

Ultimately, New Range Rover will also become the first all-electric Land Rover as we deliver the vision laid out in our Reimagine strategy

Nick Miller, Vehicle Programme Director, Jaguar Land Rover (World Premiere on October 26, 2021)

Thanks to the MLA-Flex platform, the all-new Range Rover’s body is up to 50% stiffer, with a static torsional stiffness of 33 kNm/deg. The torsional stiffness is up to 50% higher even with a full-length panoramic roof. The all-new Range Rover is the brand’s first model available with 23-inch wheels, and they would look great on its electric variant. The 75 mm extra wheelbase of the MLA-Flex platform provides a roomier interior. With the additional 200 mm wheelbase of the Long Wheelbase version, for the first time ever in the Range Rover, seven occupants can comfortably travel together.

The MLA platform – it’s a unique platform. It’s a platform which is bringing (not only) all this proportion that you can see on our cars, but also all the extraordinary capabilities which make them completely unique.

Thierry Bollore, former CEO, Jaguar Land Rover (Tata Motors Q3 FY22 earnings conference call on January 31, 2022)

The Range Rover stands to gain going all-electric

Range Rovers are renowned for their refinement, comfort, and capability. All those aspects stand to gain by making it electric. The zero-emission variant would be smoother and quieter, so whether you’re behind the wheel or in the back seat, you could find it a more relaxing vehicle. Plus, more power and torque should make it quicker and zippier, if you choose to drive.

Compared to the combustion model, the Range Rover Electric may even be more capable off-road thanks to better weight distribution, higher ground clearance, more torque vectoring, and better responsiveness. The next generation SUV may have better approach and departure angles if it moves over to a skateboard platform.

On April 19, 2023, Nick Collins, Executive Director – Vehicle Programmes, Jaguar Land Rover, said the Range Rover Electric would deliver the true values customers associate with the model name, including “off-road ability, usability, and refinement” in an “uncompromised” manner, as per an Autocar report. The absolute flagship of JLR will serve as a benchmark for “refined luxury,” Collins added.

Range Rover Electric Powertrain

The Range Rover Electric could get powertrains co-developed with the BMW Group. In June 2019, Jaguar Land Rover collaborated with the German automaker to develop next-generation Electric Drive Units (EDUs) jointly. However, the companies plan to manufacture them for their respective models individually. JLR plans to make electric drive systems at the Wolverhampton-based Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC). Could they be related to the fifth-gen BMW eDrive powering the iX and i4? Possibly.

Citing Nick Miller, Vehicle Programme Director, Jaguar Land Rover, the Autocar report said that the MLA platform can be used for a vehicle with a hydrogen powertrain. With JLR’s Project Zeus showing no signs of stopping, a Range Rover Hydrogen FCEV could emerge in a few years.

Aspect	Range Rover Electric Specification (Expected)
Battery Pack Capacity	~110 kWh
Drivetrain Layout	AWD
No. of Motors	Two
Power	Up to 530 hp
Torque	Up to 750 Nm (553 lb.-ft.)
EPA-est. Range	250-300 miles
Peak Charging Power	11 kW (AC)/200 kW (DC)
Least Charging Time	10 hours (10-100% SoC, AC)/~25 minutes (10-80%, DC)

Wide-bandgap semiconductors

Jaguar Land Rover has struck a deal with Wolfspeed to source the company’s Silicon Carbide semiconductors. The company plans to use these wide-bandgap semiconductors in the inverters of future electric vehicles, beginning with the Range Rover Electric in 2024. As part of the deal, JLR enjoys the benefits of the Wolfspeed Assurance of Supply Program, which will give it greater visibility and control over its future supply chain.

Silicon Carbide semiconductor has a bandgap of 3.26, which is almost three times the bandgap of Silicon semiconductor (1.12). Thus, electronics using Si semiconductors can be smaller, operate much faster and more reliably, and function at higher temperatures, higher voltages and higher frequencies. This would help the Land Rover electric vehicles to deliver more driving range and higher efficiency.

Charging

JLR has confirmed that the Range Rover Electric’s batteries will operate at double the normal voltage – 800 volts. Thus, they’ll be able to reap the benefits of rapid chargers with 350 kW or higher capacity. A 10-80% charging session using such a charger may take just about 25 minutes.

On July 8, 2022, Jaguar Land Rover announced that it will offer high-end, customizable home charging point points for its electrified models, which will include the Range Rover Electric from 2024, in the UK. The company may offer the same in the U.S. as well.

In the UK, JLR has collaborated with Andersen EV, a London-based company that manufactures and supplies luxury, vehicle-customizable charging points. As many customers don’t want the standard wall-mounted EV chargers because they can be an eyesore, the company will offer them Andersen EV’s stylish wall-mounted EV charger called A2.

The Andersen EV A2 home charger comes in 7 and 22 kW variants. It features a premium design and a hidden compartment to hide the charging cable and plug when not in use. With 96 color options and two material choices – metal and (sustainably sourced) Accoya wood, customers can order their A2 home charger in a look that best suits the color theme of their residence.

Release Date

JLR is set to begin deliveries of the Range Rover Electric in early 2025, having initially aimed to start accepting orders in late 2023. Due to delays, the company instead opened a waiting list, attracting 16,000 registrations, as announced during the conference call discussing its Q3 Fiscal 2023/24 results on February 2, 2024.

There will be a Range Rover BEV. So, we will start taking orders at the end of this year, start producing them next year, selling them early 2025.

Richard Molyneux, CFO, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR Q4 Fiscal 2022/23 results call on May 12, 2023)

The Range Rover Electric will arrive at dealers in global markets in a phased manner. Countries with a strong demand for EVs, be it because of government policy or just the love for electric cars, would get it first. The UK, Ireland, Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands are likely to be top priorities, while the United States and China should be its biggest markets.

Manufacturing

Production of the Range Rover Electric will take place at JLR’s Solihull (UK) plant, which has been home to the Range Rover ever since its launch in 1970. The batteries will come from an external supplier for a few years, as per the Autocar report. JLR will kick off production of its first EV by the end of 2024.

JLR is setting up a new production system at the Solihull factory to support the production of the Range Rover Electric with an investment of approximately GBP 70 million (USD 90 million). This is in addition to a ~GBP 130 million (USD 166 million) investment in adding a new body shop to increase the production of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport model lines by 30%. The Range Rover Electric will be followed by the Jaguar 4-door GT, also confirmed to be built in Solihull.

Price

Prices of the Range Rover Electric could start at around USD 130,000.

In the Q&A session after JLR detailed its new direction in February 2021, an analyst asked if it sees the Range Rover BEVs as a priority and its views on the risk involved in demand and profitability. In response, Thierry Bollore, the former CEO of the British luxury automaker, indicated that both Range Rover Sport EV and Range Rover Electric will be profitable models.

Well, when we design our programs, vehicle programs, I can tell you that we even do not imagine to design them with level of profitability which would be detrimental in terms of contribution to our targets. And I think it was quite clear in our presentations that we want all models of each brand to contribute to the profitability targets of the company. So, there is no margin here of mistaking, and we won’t. We know, we are going to make sure that we will get right profitability with these products as well.

Thierry Bollore, former CEO, Jaguar Land Rover

4 Land Rover EVs under the ‘Reimagine’ strategy

As part of its Reimagine strategy, JLR planned to launch six pure-electric Land Rover SUV models by 2026. The company set a target of converting approximately 60% of Land Rover sales to zero-emission models by 2030.

Recently, seeing a slowdown in EV demand, automakers have started to postpone new EV launches. Meanwhile, PHEVs have started to gain popularity, so companies are renewing their focus on them. In response to these changes in the market dynamics, JLR has pushed back the launch of two EVs. During the conference call to discuss its Q3 Fiscal 2023/24 results, the company revealed that its new plan is to release four pure-electric Land Rover models by 2026.

JLR initially planned to create an EMA platform for combustion and electric vehicles, but later, it decided to engineer it exclusively for EVs. Electric versions of the Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and Range Rover Velar will benefit from the EMA, making them more spacious, practical, and efficient. JLR will manufacture these EVs at the Halewood plant in the UK, which will be transformed into an EV-exclusive production facility. Additionally, the MLA platform will underpin the Range Rover Electric, the Range Rover Sport Electric, and the Discovery Electric.

TopElectricSUV says

Land Rover intends for the Range Rover to be the most capable and luxurious SUV, and the pursuit is deemed to fail if efforts are not directed at a fully electrified carriage. The British icon would also have to protect its business equally from legacy brands and startups like Rivian, Lucid, and Polestar that are younger than the iPhone and are proving that customers are comfortable up to coughing up six-digit figures for luxury, performance, and off-road vehicles from unknown marques.

Also Read: Land Rover Discovery Electric expected mid-decade

Range Rover Electric FAQs

Featured Image: TopElectricSUV’s rendition of the Range Rover Electric