The new Range Rover Electric has completed a second round of winter testing ahead of its launch.
Key aspects put to the test included the EV's new thermal management system: how well it could heat the cabin and maintain rapid-charging performance in extreme sub-zero temperatures.
The prototypes also faced high-angle inclines and declines on frozen surfaces, testing that their one-pedal driving modes (using the motors' regenerative effect to slow and stop the car while off the throttle) work across a range of terrains.
"Rigorous testing procedures in extreme and unpredictable conditions like those experienced in Arjeplog [Sweden] are crucial to Range Rover Electric's real-world reliability and resilience," said JLR product engineering chief Thomas Müller.
JLR has also confirmed that the Range Rover Electric uses a 117kWh battery pack designed and assembled in-house, comprising 344 prismatic cells and running at 800V.
The firm has yet to detail a range figure, but such a large capacity should comfortably yield more than 300 miles between charges.
The winter testing comes after prototypes were last year driven in the UAE in temperatures approaching 50deg C.
They were sent up Big Red, a 300ft sand dune in the heart of Sharjah’s Al Badayer desert, to test the EV’s new Intelligent Torque Management system, which replaces a conventional ABS-based traction control system.
This is claimed to improve traction control off road by diverting power to each electric motor to reduce torque reaction time from around 100 milliseconds to as little as one millisecond. JLR says, after five continuous attempts, none of the cars demonstrated any fall in performance.
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I reckon they'll sell about 10. And I think they know that.
No RR customer is going to be interested in waiting around for upto an hour for their car to charge at a public charge point. The diesel is smooth, quiet and suprisingly efficient - a full tank range of at least 550 miles, with 650 achievable at cruising speed.
No sane person pays more money for less convenience.
It has 800v charging. That means it will charge to about 80% in about 15-20 mins. They also have 40,000 plus already on order. If the range is over 350 miles and could go to 400+ with a bigger pack then they are in good shape
It's good that apart from the grille and badge work, they didn't try to differentiate it visually from the regular Range Rovers. Electric doesn't need to look edgy or weird.
From Autocar's article:
"It's expected to adopt a dual-motor system, which will allow for greater four-wheel-drive ability and systems such as torque vectoring to boost its off-road potential."
how exactly would you have an all wheel drive electric car without more than one motor? It doesn't have a drive shaft. Motors in the hubs? Pretty sure that's not happening. Nostradamus says 'Dual motor' it is.