Yahoo Autos Electric Range Rover in the Works Alongside Jaguar XJ EV, Report Says
Land Rover plans to field a battery-electric Range Rover model, Autocar reports, citing a conference call with investors. It's the first time the automaker acknowledged its plans to field such a vehicle. A battery-electric Range Rover model, in addition to previously-discussed electric Jaguar XJ, will be revealed during October and November this year, after the pandemic delayed them a bit.
The electric Range Rover model is believed to be sized close to the Range Rover Velar, and will share underpinnings with the battery-electric Jaguar XJ, known to be in development for some time. Autocar believes the Range Rover model will be about the same length as the Velar, but styled a little lower in profile. According to the publication JLR chief financial officer Adrian Mardell mentioned the two models in the conference call.
An electric Land Rover has been rumored for some time, since the Jaguar I-Pace crossover's launch, but this is the first semi-official confirmation of such a model, which would be a natural second step in Jaguar Land Rover's electrification plans. However, that second step was not taken at the time the I-Pace was revealed, as Jaguar Land Rover judged the Land Rover brand tied to gas and diesel-engined luxury off-road vehicles at the time. The I-Pace was seen as a crucial vehicle to create much-needed excitement for the Jaguar brand, and to showcase the company's EV architecture.
No details of, ahem, range were mentioned during the conference call, but it's logical to expect something above the I-Pace's 234-mile range. The market launch date of the electric Range Rover was also not mentioned, though it's prudent to point out its Jaguar XJ sibling has been expected to go on sale next year as a 2022 model.
This could mean we can expect to see the electric Range Rover on sale by that point as well, if the rest of the schedule goes according to plan. By that time it should have no shortage of competitors in the marketplace, as other automakers plan more electric SUVs and crossovers.
