Land Rover’s Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models have been available with a hybrid option for several years, though not in the United States.
That’s set to change with the arrival of the 2019 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, both of which will offer a plug-in hybrid option: the P400e.
The vehicles are set to arrive in showrooms next summer as the first major step in the transformation of Jaguar Land Rover’s lineup into a fully electrified one by 2020.
Land Rover revealed the 2019 Range Rover Sport P400e a week ago. On Tuesday, the automaker revealed the larger, more luxurious 2019 Range Rover P400e.
The powertrain is common to both. It consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 and an electric motor which deliver a combined 398 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque. The electric motor is integrated with an 8-speed automatic transmission which is then connected to the Range Rover’s standard 4-wheel-drive system.
Land Rover quotes a 0-60 mph time of 6.4 seconds and top speed of 137 mph for the Range Rover P400e, which isn’t bad for a vehicle of this size and scope.
Typically, the vehicle will operate in a parallel hybrid mode, where intelligent operation will determine when best to use the electric motor, the internal combustion engine or a combination of the two. A save function will ensure that the battery maintains a constant level of charge so that, when you need or want zero-emission operation, there will be charge available.
The battery has a 13.1-kilowatt-hour capacity, enough for roughly 30 miles of pure electric range, albeit with lower performance since the electric motor is rated at just 114 hp (EPA-rated numbers will be announced closer to the market launch). A charging port can be accessed behind the grille.
Owners can monitor the charging status via two illuminated strips that sit either side of the charging socket behind the grille. A white light signifies the vehicle is connected but indicates that charging has not started, while a blue light shows that timed charging is set but not underway. A flashing green light shows the vehicle is charging, while a solid green light indicates the battery is fully charged.
The addition of an electric motor also required a unique calibration for Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 off-road driving modes selector. The new calibration distributes torque from the electric motor, which has no creep speed and maximum torque from zero rpm, to all four wheels. This gives greater control during low-speed off-road maneuvers, Land Rover says.
As mentioned above, the Range Rover P400e and Range Rover Sport P400e will arrive in showrooms next summer, as 2019 models. For 2018, Land Rover has introduced a series of updates for both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport to keep the vehicles looking and feeling fresh as they approach the midway point in their respective life cycles.
