All-new Land Rover EV adopts estate-like shape; latest technology could give it a 450-mile range
FELIX PAGE
Notably, its body looks long enough behind the rear axle to host a third row of seats.
JLR has yet to give any indication that it plans to
An electric Range Rover prototype has been spotted testing for the first time as Land Rover prepares to reveal its maiden EV in the coming months.
It is believed to be a test car for the electric successor to the Range Rover Velar, which has a similarly sleek and low-slung profile, and is taxed and insured as such.
The electric version of the flagship Range Rover, which has yet to be seen but is due on sale first, is set to more closely resemble today’s upright, high-riding SUV.
The roof profile, window line and ground-hugging suspension of this prototype are strong clues that this is our first look at Land Rover’s Porsche Macan EV rival, which is due to be one of three electric SUVs built at Halewood atop the brand’s new EMA platform.
A sibling to similarly sized replacements for the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque, the second-generation Velar is tipped to enter production as early as this year, as the current ICE car approaches the natural end of its life cycle, having been launched in 2017.
Details of the new Velar remain under lock and key, but it clearly remains committed to a more overt road bias upsize the Velar, but a more spacious interior would certainly mark it out more clearly from the Discovery Sport, which is seen as key to improving sales.
The Velar was initially a strong seller, but last year it was the lowest-selling Land Rover model, with 18,626 sales, after the Discovery, with 13,164. By contrast, the Discovery Sport recorded more than 21,000 sales and the Evoque more than 34,000.
The next Velar will also be more overt in its positioning as a luxury SUV, in line with JLR’s ambition to turn each of its model lines – Jaguar, Discovery, Defender and Range Rover – into distinct brands with their own design languages, values and target markets.
The EMA platform will be equipped with 800V electrical architecture, making the new Velar capable of charging about as quickly as the new Macan, which maxes out at 270kW.
JLR has already confirmed that the EMA platform will accommodate a new type of electric motor described as the “most torque-dense” in class and capable of 4.0-4.5 miles per
