Range Rover EV and Land Rover Velar EV launching next year, JLR confirms

All-electric flagship Range Rover coming in 2024

The upcoming Range Rover EV will be based on JLR’s MLA platform and will support hybrid ICE powertrains, as well as, fully electric powertrain options. The platform and its derivatives will spawn other EV SUVs from the JLR lineup in the future. The Range Rover EV platform will be using battery packs sourced from external suppliers initially. Later it will be shipping from Tata Motors’ battery gigafactory which is likely to become operational in the next five years. 

The Range Rover EV will be identifiable instantly thanks to the typical Range Rover silhouette which is now in a much-evolved stage since its inception decades back. The new EV SUV will look similar to the outgoing ICE-powered model. The drivetrain options on the Range Rover EV could be derived from the powertrains developed under the BMW and JLR joint venture. The Range Rover EV will get two driven axles and a substantial amount of power, equivalent to the most potent ICE powertrain on offer. The offering will also incorporate the company’s off-road hardiness with ultra-luxury. 

Initially, the Range Rover will compete with the likes of the Mercedes Benz EQS SUV and will later be joined by full-size ultra high-end luxury SUVs as companies start rolling out all-electric models. 

Next generation Land Rover lineup to be all-electric

Next-generation models from Land Rover’s lineup will be electric only, as per the company’s latest announcements. JLR is on a quest to redefine its lineup and EVs will form the core of this change. The company aims to have one EV under each of its brands by 2026 and an electric version under each of its model ranges by 2030. JLR is also aiming to sell only electric vehicles by 2036. 

The next-generation Land Rover models which include the Velar, the Evoque and the Discovery Sport SUVs will be all-electric. The first model to roll out of its Halewood Merseyside plant in the UK will be the Land Rover Velar EV in 2024. These new SUVs will be based on an all-new Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) platform. The platform could also underpin a baby Defender in the future. Battery packs for the EMA platform will also be sourced from the Tata Motors battery factory in Europe once it is up and running. The company is also upgrading its Halewood Merseyside plant to manufacture EVs only by 2024 for an investment of £380 million (~ Rs 3,885 crore).