Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) opened the wait list for Range Rover Electric (RRE)pre-orders. There’s no confirmed production model release date, but JLR reports the “highest levels of client demand in our 53-history” for the Range Rover Electric.
JLR committed the Jaguar branch of the company to all EVs for new models with the announcement of the last gas Jags. Land Rover will continue to build conventional V8s along with mild hybrid (MHEV) and plug-in electric hybrid (PHEV) Range Rovers, but the biggest stir is for the new Range Rover Electric.
Let the EV testing begin
In the wait list announcement, JLR also stated that prototype testing has just begun with actual vehicles following a year of virtual development. Land Rover tackled physical challenges first to be sure the RRE could handle the bashing about that Range Rover owners imagined they’d give it, regardless of whether they’d ever leave the pavement for surfaces more demanding than lacrosse tournament parking lots.
The Range Rover EV’s chassis and bodywork must be sufficiently robust to withstand extreme temperatures off-road, including driving up to 31 miles per hour in water up to 33.4 inches deep. Land Rover has decades of experience building hardy trucks, so now the testing starts with less familiar challenges.
Range Rover engineers are now testing physical prototypes in diverse areas of the world, such as Dubai and Sweden, where temperatures range from -40 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The prototype testing ensures the electrical drive system can withstand the same rigors as the EV’s structural and mechanical components.
What does the Range Rover Electric look like?
JLR released the teaser photos accompanying the post with the wait list announcement. The manufacturer has not published final model images, even concept sketches. So, the RRE’s appearance is still a mystery, except it’s not.
Like the Jeep Wrangler, each new Range Rover must look like the previous models, with only minimal design changes from year to year. A dramatic departure from the Range Rover’s traditional design silhouette would risk alienating loyal customers and weakening the brand. Despite impressive off-road capabilities and toughness, the Range Rover, like the Wrangler, is a statement vehicle. People who buy statement vehicles aren’t happy with blurred statements.
Highlights of unique features for the Range Rover Electric
Electric vehicles are whisper-quiet compared to ICE cars, but the Range Rover Electric will augment the silence with active road noise cancellation to ensure the driver and passengers are undisturbed. The RRE will have an 800V battery architecture so drivers who recharge with public charging networks can gain the most power in the least time.
JLR will build the Range Rover Electric in Solihull, U.K., and assemble the electric drive units and batteries in Wolverhampton, U.K. By getting your place on the RRE waiting list, which is open now, you’ll be among the first to have the chance to execute a pre-order for the SUV.
