For years, we’ve known that an electric Range Rover was coming. After all, a battery-powered version of the quintessential luxury SUV just makes sense. Well, as it inches further toward production, Land Rover has released photos of the new electric Range Rover undergoing hot climate testing in the United Arab Emirates, and it looks pretty much like any other Range Rover.
Over the past few years, manufacturers have started to realize that people don’t always want their electric cars to look like stereotypical electric cars — streamlined bubbles in pursuit of pure aerodynamic efficiency. Instead, many customers want their cars to look and feel like cars, but without the noise of a combustion engine. Think electric G-Class versus the soap bar known as the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
Perhaps as a result, Land Rover hasn’t made much, if any, attempt to disguise its incoming electric model. The upper radiator grille has been replaced with a relatively tasteful new element, but otherwise, this looks like a Range Rover. Same delightful hidden window rubbers, same silver accents, same silhouette.
While we don’t know that much more about the new electric Range Rover at this point, we do know is that the traction control system seems absolutely out-of-this-world. For context, the traction control system in a standard modern combustion car reacts to wheelspin by cutting engine power and braking individual wheels. While traction control started out fairly clunky, over the decades, systems have been refined to see actual torque reduction at the wheels within, say, 50 milliseconds. That’s pretty good, but not as good as what Land Rover claims is in the new electric Range Rover, which can reduce the so-called “torque reaction time” at the wheels down to one millisecond. One one-thousandth of a second.
See, instead of actuating the brakes and/or cutting spark or fuel, Land Rover is able to actually act directly on each motor controller, cutting output at the source. It’s a page straight out of Lucid’s playbook, only instead of being in the pursuit of lap times, it’s in the pursuit of driving on slippery stuff. For instance, sand is definitely a low-traction surface, and with the instant torque of electric motors, it’s pretty easy to dial up a little too much twist on sand in an EV. Having such quick-intervening traction control should make driving on loose surfaces a little easier.
Anyway, expect to learn more about the new electric Range Rover in 2025, when the model is slated to go on sale. While it isn’t for everyone, think of it as rounding out Range Rover’s portfolio. You can already buy a combustion-powered or plug-in hybrid model, so an EV is the next logical step. Considering how many Range Rover owners have the space and resources to charge at home, this feels like a safe bet.
(Photo credits: Land Rover)
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This particular example is begging for a decent window tint. This generation of RR is so handsome though (as they all have been), I’m glad they didn’t mess with it.
Yes generic rich NPC SUV but that traction control system does sound really neat and also props to LR for not falling down the overdesign and “oops all grille” rabbit holes.
Yeah, I’m not generally a fan of the kind of minimalist design LR is doing, but they’re doing the hell out of it – the new RR is both genuinely pretty and looks like it costs what it does.
Combine normal RR depreciation and then mix in EV depreciation and hooooo boy, anyone buying these things brand new is gonna lose some serious money.
That’s what they used to say about Ted Bundy. (look it up.)
Just because something “looks” normal, does not a guarantee make. YMMV.
I swear, sometimes it appears LR is the only brand with common sense. Maybe they should pull adide their little brother Jaguar for a chat.
Wait, Guv’nor – it’s the same guy???
Hmm, Range Rover EV? Shouldn’t they call it a Limited Range Rover.
And the Camel Trophy edition could be the Extended Range Rover?
Second thoughts, they’d just use that for the long wheelbase version.
If this doesn’t win COTD, I’ll riot.
Electric door handles…. :'(
“modern cars are so expensive!” cry consumers who want useless crap like this.
Thank goodness the wheels aren’t blacked out too – otherwise at night it would look like the blade of a giant chrome potato peeler flying down the road….