It’s finally happening; the 2025 Range Rover EV will be properly unveiled next year, but the waitlist is open now. This is sure to be next year’s hottest luxury SUV, and you can bet supply will be quite limited, so if you want one we’d suggest joining the official Canadian Waiting List pronto.
“We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created.”
Thomas Müller, executive director of product engineering at JLR
We’ve got all the latest teaser images of the Range Rover Electric right here, and they clearly show Range Rover knows not to mess with a good (great) thing. The full-size Range is already out favourite SUV on the market right now, and these early images show the designers and engineers in England have simply electrified it, leaving the design essentially unchanged. There’s a sleek little charge port on SUV’s flank, subtle EV badges on the wheels, a more aerodynamically slippery front grille, and, well, that’s about it.
“The magic ingredients that underpin the success of Range Rover remain unchanged: timeless, reductionist design, a serene cabin and capability – but now offered with zero tailpipe emissions,” said Thomas Müller, executive director of product engineering at JLR. “We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created,” he added.
Of course, there’s nothing simple about electrifying an existing SUV, let alone one that’s held to such high standards of luxury and capability. It’s a lot more difficult than simply shoehorning some batteries and electric motors where the old gas-burning V8 once was. Thankfully, Range Rover was thinking ahead. The brands flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture was always designed to accommodate an underfloor battery pack and electric motors.
Range Rover has already started putting prototypes of its upcoming EV through the wringer. The brand’s fearless test-drivers are ensuring this electric beast can wade through 84.8 centimetres, — 33.4 inches — of water. (Okay, sure, that’s five centimetres less than the gas-guzzling model, but honestly how many times have owners had to traverse a flooded river?)
Global on-road testing is taking place around the world, from Sweden to Dubai, in temperatures ranging from -40C to +50C, according to the company. At least we can be assured this EV will shrug off the worst winter weather Canada has to offer.
“The global physical testing program has been adapted for the Range Rover brand’s first fully electric vehicle to ensure robustness of the electric drive system, including its underfloor, battery durability, chassis integrity and vehicle dynamics tests for thermal derating,” Range Rover explained. They’re not taking any chances. They know their upcoming electric flagship has to be spectacular.
An 800-volt architecture will ensure the fastest recharging speeds, but the company hasn’t given any details on the size of the battery or the driving range of the Range Rover Electric. As for the price, the company hasn’t announced anything yet there either, but we would be surprised if you’ll get much (or any) change back from $200,000.
“Since going on sale in 2021 the latest generation Range Rover has set a new benchmark for desirability. Across the globe, we’re seeing the highest levels of client demand in our 53-year history,” said Geraldine Ingham, managing director of Range Rover. “Because of this unprecedented success story, we’re now opening the official waiting list for the opportunity to be among the first to place a pre-order for the most anticipated Range Rover vehicle of recent times.”
“An electric luxury SUV that can deliver on the Range Rover promise. A true global luxury product, as yet unseen in the industry.”
Thomas Müller, executive director of product engineering at JLR
In other words, the company doesn’t want any fights breaking out amongst its best clients when this thing his showrooms, hence the official Canadian Waiting List.
It’s fitting that it’ll be Range Rover — the brand that arguably invented the luxury SUV with its first model in 1970 — that will offer another world first.
“As repeated throughout history, the Range Rover will continue to set the standard. The first of its type. An electric luxury SUV that can deliver on the Range Rover promise. A true global luxury product, as yet unseen in the industry,” boasted Müller. He’s clearly proud of the car’s heritage, as he should be.
Just like its forebearers, the upcoming Range Rover Electric will be designed, engineered and built in the United Kingdom. The platform is built in Solihull, while the batteries and electric motors will be built and assembled at the company’s new Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Center in Wolverhampton.
Of course, for anyone who still prefers the conventional Ronge Rover, or the versatile plug-in hybrid model, fear not. Both of those will still be offered alongside the Range Rover Electric.
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