My first experience of the new all-electric Range Rover has already impressed me. Let’s be honest, the current Range Rover, which is one of the best cars in the world, isn’t a bad place to start. And Range Rover folk are quick to point out that it isn’t an electric Range Rover, it’s a Range Rover that just happens to be electric.
I think they’re underplaying it – this is the ultimate expression of Range Rover, with improved luxury thanks to a smooth and silent all-electric powertrain plus all the accoutrements that we’ve come to expect from (currently) JLR’s range-topping vehicle. And to give you an idea of how much has changed with this new model, it’s the most patented Range Rover ever, with over 70 patent applications on the British-built battery alone.
More details will be forthcoming in time – like full performance, range and charging figures. And prices – which are set to be steep. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some Range Rover Electric models nudging close to £200,000.
But my initial time behind the wheel and looking all over the car has whet my appetite for more. On my short drive, I’d say that Range Rover’s engineers have done a great job of taking the Range Rover and making it better. It certainly felt more controlled than ever, and more luxurious than ever.
How we tested
Our first experience of the new Range Rover Electric was over a man-made off-road track at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. Obstacles included simulated rock crawls to show axle articulation and control, steep slippery inclines and ramps mimicking steep hills to drive over. I also examined a cutaway of the car’s chassis with batteries, while checking over the unchanged inside of the Range Rover.
Independent rating: 9/10
- Pros: Even more capable and easy to use off-road; all the other Range Rover luxuries, but improved
- Cons: We’ve no idea on price, but the ultimate expression of Range Rover luxury isn’t going to be cheap
- Price range: Estimated £170,000+
- Battery size: 118kWh
- Maximum claimed range: 300+ miles
- Miles per kWh: TBC
- Maximum charging rate: TBC
Battery, range, charging, performance and drive
Here’s what we know so far – and it’s not much. There’s a 118kWh (usable) battery pack that contains 344 Prismatic cell – it’s been designed in-house and is built in the UK. And it’ll charge quickly – we don’t know at what speed, but it’ll get from 10 to 80 per cent charge in just 17 minutes.
The Range Rover Electric uses the same MLA Flex platform as all other Range Rovers – the ability to go all-electric was built in from the start. Cleverly some of the control units for the battery that then pass the power to the front and rear electric motors sit in what looks like a transmission tunnel. That’s because there is a transmission tunnel in the petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models.
In total there’s 543bhp and 850NM of torque – both hugely impressive numbers that will probably translate to decent on-road performance.
There’s also some clever gadgetry that Range Rover calls Thermal Wonder including Thermassist that manages everything from battery temperature for optimum efficiency when driving or charging, to keeping the cabin at the right temperature.
Then there are the off-road settings that I put to the test, all controlled via the touchscreen in the minimalist interior. Range Rover’s Terrain Response system can be used to choose an appropriate, electronically-controlled off-road setting, with the twin-chamber air suspension raising the car when needed and reacting to manage pitch over the man-made obstacles on my test.
You expect a Range Rover to go places usually reserved for Mountain Goats, but the electric powertrain allows a completely linear torque delivery, so you can just sit back and let the car do the work with one-pedal driving (that will also work on road).
All too often in off-roaders, even the most luxurious ones, there’s a balancing act with the throttle that can lead to too much or too little input resulting in jerky and uncomfortable progress. The Range Rover Electric seems to eliminate that – you just have to steer, using the multiple cameras (and some pointing by guides outside the car) to show you where to put the car on the various obstacles.
The seamless way that the car transitioned from crawling up the steepest of slopes to going straight back down again with the Hill Descent Control taking over was the best I’ve experienced. And the rock mode, when our wheels took it in turn to sit suspended in mid air, was similarly fuss-free. This is a car that’ll make even a first time off-roader feel like a hero. You just set the car into the right mode and, with you taking care of direction, the car does all the work for you. All while you’re sitting in one of the coolest and plushest interiors you’ll fine outside of your favourite boutique hotel.
In fact, putting luxury to one side for a moment, it’s the same experience you got as a kid riding a donkey on the beach. You feel nervous because what you’re going to do is completely alien, but the donkey just does all the work for you, taking everything in its stride, and making you feel like a world-class jockey!
Interior, practicality and boot space
What really sets the Range Rover apart is the way it manages to be both high-tech and classically elegant – but with a modernity about it.
The interior is almost Tesla minimalist, although there’s a digital screen in front of the driver as well as the large, gently curving infotainment screen. Reductionism is the theme here, with the colours and materials all cool to look at and to touch, with every last design detail carefully curated to exude luxury.
The interior of the Range Rover Electric is no different to that of any other Range Rover – you’d be hard pushed to tell what the power underneath is. There are no interior compromises with the battery system, all because all Range Rovers were designed with the same platform underneath.
That also means the Range Rover’s huge boot is unchanged, complete with two-stage opening, giving you the lower part of the door which can double as a seat at the back, but does mean a bit of a stretch to get stuff out of the boot.
Technology, stereo and infotainment
I can only imagine that the more silent interior of the Range Rover Electric will play well to whoever makes the audio system in the car – currently Meridian.
But I do know that the 13-inch Pivi Pro touchscreen will be the same as in the current car, which means a bit of over-reliance on it for even basic functions. Other than a stop-start button next to the gear lever, this is a button free zone inside.
Otherwise expect the same high level of driver assistance and luxury features as on the rest of the Range Rover line-up, with software-over-the-air updates keeping everything fresh.
Prices and running costs
There’s no word on pricing yet, but my guess is that the Range Rover Electric will start somewhere north of £170,000, possibly heading up into £200,000 territory.
With a big 118kWh battery to fill and a large, heavy car to shift around, efficiency won’t be great, although Range Rover’s engineers have worked hard to make the car as efficient as possible with a range in excess of 300 miles expected
Range Rover Electric rivals
FAQs
How long does it take to charge?
We don’t know what speed the new Range Rover will charge at, but it will be quick – 10 to 80 per cent charges could take as little as 17 minutes.
How much does it cost – is it worth it?
This is the ultimate expression of Range Rover, which is in the upper echelons of luxury motoring – so expect a price tag to match, possibly starting from over £170,000 and going up into the £200,000s. Full pricing should be known later this year.
Does Range Rover replace batteries for free?
We’d expect it to mirror the standard and expected eight-year warranty that’s become the industry norm.
The verdict: Range Rover Electric Prototype
Range Rover won’t tell us when the Range Rover Electric will go on sale, just reassuring us that it will reach customers “when it’s ready”. It felt pretty ready to me, with the stresses put on a vehicle when off-roading as tough as they get. The drivetrain’s smoothness and the control it gives you off-road is hugely impressive, all in the serene and silent interior that’s better than most hotels. I can’t wait for a full on- and off-road test.
