First-ever all-electric Range Rover spotted in the wild

The first-ever all-electric Range Rover has been spotted testing in Arjeplog, Sweden as part of the car’s development ahead of its expected official unveiling later this year.

The British luxury SUV will go fully electric with an advanced 800-volt electrical system for greater efficiency and fast charging, while Range Rover has also confirmed that the new model will get a giant 117kWh battery, designed and built in-house by Range Rover parent company JLR.

Range Rover Electric prototypes have covered nearly 45,000 miles during cold-weather testing, checking on the car’s sub-zero efficiency which is normally an Achilles heel for electric cars.

However, the new Range Rover will feature ThermAssist technology that’s designed to beat the cold weather to optimise range and charging speeds, while also keeping the car’s luxurious cabin warm and comfortable.

ThermAssist is said to reduce heating energy consumption by up to 40 per cent and can recover heat to warm the drive system or interior in temperatures as low as minus ten degrees Celsius.

The latest sub-zero test for the prototype Range Rovers also focused on dynamics, especially how the one-pedal driving system works on low-grip surfaces.

Many electric cars make use of one-pedal driving, which – in the case of the Range Rover Electric – slows the car to a complete stop while producing as much charge as possible to go back into the battery from regenerative braking.

With off-road capability part of Range Rover’s DNA, the one-pedal system has been designed to work with the car’s Terrain Response tech that automatically controls the car’s off-road settings, including limiting its speed down sharp descents. The Range Rover Electric has been tested on slippery 28- and 17-degree inclines at the Arjeplog testing facility.

Switchable, twin-chamber air suspension helps to manage the big car’s body movements in slippery conditions, while the electric powertrain has been said by Range Rover to make controlling the vehicle on slippery surfaces more precise than an equivalent petrol or diesel Range Rover.

The new model’s Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) technology rapidly switches torque between the front and rear axles and work with with Range Rover’s Integrated Traction Management to maintain traction and stability. The system can react within 50 milliseconds and manage slip up to 100 times quicker than a petrol or diesel model.

JLR’s vehicle engineering director Matt Becker said: “In its driving character, a Range Rover should seamlessly combine capability and refinement. Delivering both in an electric vehicle in a way that doesn’t diminish the vehicle in other areas is incredibly challenging. By increasing its torsional stiffness and improving its responses, we’ve been able to maintain a customary Range Rover driving experience that feels familiar. We have delivered on this promise by marrying all the essential Range Rover elements with new and advanced technologies.”

Although Range Rover hasn’t confirmed when the new Range Rover Electric will be launched, we’d expect it to be unveiled later this year. The pictures of the prototypes on test reveal few changes to the iconic Range Rover shape, with a few visual tweaks expected to mark out the new model’s all-electric power.