Range Rover Electric uncovered as it begins extreme testing in Arctic Circle
Jaguar Land Rover has revealed the first images of its zero-emissions Range Rover, drifting on a frozen lake at -40 degrees celsius
We are used to seeing spy pictures of the latest cars undergoing testing, but Land Rover is looking to snaffle the snappers by releasing its own images of the new Range Rover Electric, drifting across a frozen lake in the Arctic Circle.
The various images show the forthcoming range (pun intended) flagship in “all black” guise. They reveal a car that looks strikingly similar to the existing, petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid Range Rover; the only discernible difference at this stage – aside from a green flash on the number plate – is the aero-optimised grille design. Indeed, the headlights, bonnet, lower bumper and scuff plates all look identical to those found on the electric car’s combustion-engined counterparts.
Previous teaser images had shown the Range Rover’s electrically-operated charge port in a studio environment, but in these icy pictures we can see the system in real-world use. The car is completely iced over; we can only hope the charge flap’s operating temperature has been repeatedly tested to ensure it works even in sub-zero temperatures.
Finally, we get our first taste of what the Range Rover Electric will look like on the move, albeit in a suitably dynamic four-wheeled drift, with plumes of fine snow trailing behind it. Land Rover says its “new, in-house, all-electric propulsion system” will ensure “the all-terrain, all-weather and all-surface capability of the Range Rover remains unparallelled”.
Land Rover has apparently developed its own traction control system for the Range Rover Electric, which it says “delivers exceptional levels of performance on icy or low-grip surfaces”. The new car can distribute torque to each individual electric drive control unit in “as little as one millisecond”. This, according to JLR, reduces the need for ABS intervention for a smoother drive.
Talking about the electric Range Rover, which is due to be revealed later this year, Thomas Mueller, Executive Director for Product Engineering, said: “Range Rover with electric power means customary Range Rover luxury, refinement and capability, plus near-silent fully electric propulsion.” He insisted the new model will provide its occupants with “effortlessly smooth and relaxed journeys.”
As well as sub-zero testing in the Arctic Circle, the new Range Rover will be subjected to extreme heat at temperatures of up to 50 degrees celsius in the “searing deserts of the Middle East”.
Both the battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU) are being developed in-house at JLR. The Range Rover will be the company’s second EV, following the Jaguar I-Pace, which launched back in 2018.
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