2021 Range Rover

48,000 electric Range Rover buyers can't be wrong

The excitement for the first-ever all-electric Range Rover is contagious. Jaguar Land Rover announced that over 48,000 customers have already joined the waiting list for the SUV, even before its official debut.

JLR's first-half results for fiscal 2025 revealed the growing demand for its electric vehicles. The Range Rover Electric, as it's currently known, is spearheading this charge, leading the way for a new generation of zero-emission luxury vehicles under the JLR umbrella.

Back in February, JLR reported a respectable 16,000 reservations for the electric Range Rover. This number more than doubled to over 38,000 by June, surpassed 42,000 in August, and sat at 48,000 at the end of October. This interest comes alongside the announcement of 29% year-over-year increase in JLR's global sales, fueled by a 47% rise in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) sales. It appears that customers are embracing PHEVs as a transitional step towards fully electric vehicles.

Range Rover promises that its new in-house electric powertrain will deliver exceptional performance and maintain the brand's legendary off-road capabilities. The EV will come with the latest traction control system, rigorously tested in extreme conditions to ensure it lives up to the Range Rover legacy.

The electric Range Rover boasts an impressive wading depth of 850 mm. To put that into perspective, it can traverse deeper water than the GMC Hummer EV, which has a 32-inch wading depth.


 
Look! The fly new Range Rover Electric has gone dune-bashing

How’s that for an evening jolly to pass off as ‘work’?

Range Rover has been testing its new electric SUV in the Arabian desert in what it’s calling ‘Dynamic Desert Climbs’. Which rather sounds like an excuse to take it dune bashing for a few evenings.

No problem with that of course, because the experiments include scaling the ‘Big Red’ dunes located right in the centre of Sharjah’s Al Badayer desert, with some standing as tall as 300ft (or the height of the Statue of Liberty).

The cleaner, greener new Rangie is then required to ascend these dunes up to five times per test without showing any drop in performance, with a particular focus on its new thermal management system’s ability to keep working efficiently.

We should add that temperatures frequently exceed 50 degrees out there (with 90 per cent humidity), making Al Badayer the perfect natural testing spot. And yes, we feel sticky just thinking about the heat too.

 
New Range Rover Electric images emerge as it gets tested in the Arabian desert

The Range Rover has always been synonymous with luxury and off-road capability. Now, the iconic SUV is going electric, and it's proving its mettle in one of the most challenging environments on Earth: the Arabian desert.

Prototypes of the Range Rover Electric are currently undergoing rigorous testing in the United Arab Emirates. The temperatures in the desert can soar above 50°C (122°F), and this extreme heat puts a significant strain on electric vehicles, as they need to cool both the cabin and the battery simultaneously.

Range Rover has developed an entirely new thermal management system that is being put to the test in these unforgiving conditions. The system is designed to keep the battery and powertrain within their ideal operating temperature range, even during demanding desert driving.

Range Rover has developed a special traction control system that works in conjunction with the thermal management system to deliver consistent power to the wheels. In tests, the Range Rover Electric has proven itself capable of repeatedly climbing steep sand dunes without any loss of performance.

 
Crikey, check out the wheels on this Overfinch Velocity Edition Range Rover

Overfinch gives the V8 Range Rover 612bhp, much carbon and some wild wheels

We've no doubt you’ll be aware of the work Overfinch does with Land Rover products by now, and yet we still feel compelled to show you its latest offering. Because by Jove, would you look at those wheels.

New for 2025, this is the Overfinch Velocity Edition. It’s apparently the flagship Overfinch model, and those wheels are 24in items forged from a single billet of aluminium. Unsurprisingly they’re known as the ‘Helix’ wheel and also feature a Rolls-Royce style self-levelling centre cap.

The Helix wheels are unique to the Velocity Edition as Overfinch reckons they need to be paired with the car’s carbon fibre widebody kit. Certainly not... subtle. Indeed, its makers describe it as “a vehicle of considerable physical presence”.

There’s a full carbon fibre power dome on the bonnet too, but there is actually more grunt to match. Overfinch will take the P530 Range Rover and boost the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from 523bhp to 612bhp. You’ll get 656lb ft of torque as a result too, and a flap-controlled performance exhaust system for when you really want to shout about your expensive upgrades.


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Range Rover Electric braves Arctic freeze

The upcoming Range Rover Electric is proving its mettle in the harsh conditions of the Arctic Circle. Completing its second winter testing season in Arjeplog, Sweden, the all-electric luxury SUV demonstrated its robust performance in freezing temperatures and across challenging icy terrains.

A key focus of the Arctic trials was Range Rover Electric's advanced thermal management system, featuring the newly developed ThermAssistTM technology. This intelligent system reduces the energy needed for heating by up to 40%, even when temperatures plummet to -10°C. ThermAssistTM cleverly recycles heat to warm both the cabin and the powertrain, focusing on optimal efficiency in extremely cold environments.

Another impressive feature put through its paces during the winter testing was the Range Rover Electric's single-pedal driving mode. This system allows drivers to fully control the vehicle's speed using only the accelerator pedal, and lifting off slows down the SUV and brings it to a complete stop. This apparently proved really useful on slippery surfaces like ice and snow, offering enhanced control and stability. The single-pedal system comes with a Hill Hold function, allowing drivers to start moving again on inclines without needing to touch the brakes.

Despite the shift to electric power, the Range Rover Electric keeps its renowned all-terrain prowess. Its switchable twin-chamber air suspension has been specifically tuned to manage the weight distribution unique to electric vehicles. The new all-wheel-drive system, coupled with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) technology, can precisely distribute torque, sending up to 100% to the rear wheels when needed to prevent traction loss. This system reacts much faster than in traditional ICE-powered vehicles, managing motor speed within 50 milliseconds to maintain stability.

Powering this advanced SUV is a high-voltage 800V battery, the first to be designed and built in-house by JLR. This 117 kWh battery, encased in a protective structure and using a double-stacked layout of 344 prismatic cells, is optimized for energy density, range, and rapid charging times.


 
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