Home » The New Electric Range Rover Looks Reassuringly Normal

The New Electric Range Rover Looks Reassuringly Normal

Electric Range Rover Topshot
ADVERTISEMENT

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.

Vidframe Min Top
Vidframe Min Bottom

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.

Range Rover Electric Uae 2

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

Range Rover Electric Uae 4

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.

Rr Bev Td 28112024 01 Copy

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)

ADVERTISEMENT

Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.

Relatedbar

Please send tips about cool car things to tips@theautopian.com. You could even win a prize!

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn
Share on reddit
Reddit
Subscribe
Notify of
23 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Kody Dagley
Kody Dagley
6 days ago

Cool! Now when it breaks, it’ll cost even more to fix! 😛

Drive By Commenter
Drive By Commenter
7 days ago

Perfect. I’ll be able to pick up an off lease example for pocket lint and a bottle of cheap Madeira.

No More Crossovers
No More Crossovers
7 days ago

“For sale: 2025 electric range rover, 60000 miles. Will trade for dirt bike”

Drive By Commenter
Drive By Commenter
7 days ago

Basically. That’s most of the Range Rovers on FB around me.

Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
7 days ago

Except that these will be cheap on the used market, like most RRs. Again, they are not bad cars and can last 300k+ miles when taken care off, but the electronic issues which JLR has is concerning. Granted, an Escalade may have those problems and other issues serious and minor as well, but they hold their value in the used market better than an RR will. Plus, the RR parts will be expensive, more so than a Cadillac (depending on the generation.

And I forgot. Unlike the Escalade, RRs have a “female stereotype”- they are driven by immature females and ALSO actresses, female celebrities and etc. Granted men drive them as well..but what I see here in Qatar makes me think they are a lady’s car (and also based what female celebrities own as well), unlike the Escalade with its rugged and towering appearance (which unfortunately IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE).

Again, I am not saying RRs are terrible- it simply does not make the cut for people like us. They can last 300k+ miles as I said, but the number of RRs pre-2010 (and most German/European cars) to Escalades pre-2010 in Qatar shows the number skewed unfavorably to the Escalade…even though the Escalade is not as offroad capable.

No More Crossovers
No More Crossovers
7 days ago

In the southeast they have a similar reputation. Incidentally the only person I know who drives them is my aunt

Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
6 days ago

RRs are not prone to rust unlike Land Cruisers or GMT800 Escalades….but some Land Rovers can fail…

Ppnw
Ppnw
8 days ago

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.

Dottie
Dottie
8 days ago

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.

Roofless
Roofless
8 days ago
Reply to  Dottie

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.

Limoncello
Limoncello
7 days ago
Reply to  Roofless

Agreed with Dottie that this is a bland / meh design. But… jeez, what a waste of resources this is. I guess that the folks buying this don’t give a shit about emissions or resource depletion.

Andrew Daisuke
Andrew Daisuke
8 days ago

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.

Col Lingus
Col Lingus
8 days ago

That’s what they used to say about Ted Bundy. (look it up.)
Just because something “looks” normal, does not a guarantee make. YMMV.

Last edited 8 days ago by Col Lingus
Horizontally Opposed
Horizontally Opposed
8 days ago

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???

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
8 days ago

Hmm, Range Rover EV? Shouldn’t they call it a Limited Range Rover.

Amberturnsignalsarebetter
Amberturnsignalsarebetter
8 days ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

And the Camel Trophy edition could be the Extended Range Rover?

Second thoughts, they’d just use that for the long wheelbase version.

Last edited 8 days ago by Amberturnsignalsarebetter
TheCoryJihad
TheCoryJihad
8 days ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

If this doesn’t win COTD, I’ll riot.

MrLM002
MrLM002
8 days ago

Electric door handles…. :'(

Kelly
Kelly
8 days ago
Reply to  MrLM002

“modern cars are so expensive!” cry consumers who want useless crap like this.

Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
Ramaswamy Narayanaswamy
7 days ago
Reply to  MrLM002

I am somewhat satisfied the Escalade still has physical door handles (even with a lot of other horrible electronics in the refresh…)

What happens if the door handles fail?

MrLM002
MrLM002
7 days ago

I know Range Rovers (especially the modern ones) are rarely taken off road, but imagine these stupid door handles failing out in the middle of nowhere! Technophilic madness!

Citrus
Citrus
7 days ago

Given that there was a Land Rover down the street from me where the door handles just fell off I’m not really sure going electric will make them more prone to failure.

Urban Runabout
Urban Runabout
8 days ago

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….

23
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x