Land Rover has begun testing its first all-electric Range Rover, which it says will be the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever and feature active road-noise cancellation to enhance the EV’s intrinsic silence relative to vehicles powered by a metal box of explosions.
But as a Range Rover, silence and refinement will take a backseat to off-road capability — which it turns out is another thing EVs are good at. For proof, consider the GMC Hummer EV Pickup and Rivian’s R1S and R1T, if not that funny-looking Tesla that got stuck in the dirt. Land Rover says testing of its first EV mules is taking place “from Sweden to Dubai, in temperatures ranging from minus 40 Fahrenheit to 122.” Additionally, Range Rover claims a wading depth of up to 33.4 inches for the all-electric SUV.
The Range Rover Electric will be built in the U.K. on the same Modular Longitudinal Architecture that underpins current gas-powered Range Rovers. The brand says it will have an 800-volt electrical system to maximize charging speed but gives no further details on the powertrain, only saying the EV will have performance comparable to a V-8-equipped Range Rover.
Land Rover says the Range Rover Electric will arrive sometime in 2024, and a waitlist is open now for buyers who want to be first in line when it does.
