Later this year, we may well discover an electric Range Rover from JLR. The Jaguar Land Rover group has finally shown its prototype in the development phase in extreme conditions in Sweden, where it certainly spent part of the fall or spring. The manufacturer says it has driven more than 72,000 kilometers on its future electric SUV, which arrives with an innovation on the of its thermal management.
ThermAssist and 117 kWh battery
Indeed, the electric Range Rover must integrate ThermAssist, a system that must both reduce the production of thermal energy but also use it to power the on-board heating and maintain the temperature of the batteries. A means, in particular, of optimizing the vehicle's charge, which should be high, while the manufacturer has opted for an 800-volt architecture on its new electric Range Rover and a 117 kWh battery.
In February 2024, Jaguar Land Rover announced that the development of its first electric SUV was taking "longer than expected," and was pushing back its launch to 2026. If the time seems long, it's because the electric Range Rover has been expected since 2023, the year the brand began collecting the first orders from its customers, which now stand at more than 57,000.
With its new photos in Sweden, Land Rover has announced that the development phase in winter conditions is complete. With these tests, the brand will certainly have something to offer up to the competition, whether it's the BMW iX, Volvo EX90, or Mercedes EQS. To promote the SUV, Land Rover already mentioned extensive work on the all-wheel drive, "more precise and responsive than that of a thermal car."
From the electric Range Rover to the electric Defender
One-pedal driving will also be part of the game, and the electric Range Rover should be able to use it even on steep slopes, up to 28 degrees. Matt Becker, JLR's director of vehicle engineering, said the new electric SUV would retain the brand's DNA, "marrying all the essential elements of the Range Rover with modern, advanced technologies."
More electric models are planned for next year. In 2026, the brand plans a new electric Range Rover Sport, an electric Discovery, and an electric Defender. Some production will continue in the UK, but the brand has already signaled that models like the electric Defender will be returned to Slovakia. As for the batteries, they will be made by Tata, but produced on British soil in Somerset.
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