Land Rover Range Rover fans can now ease their guilt of driving big SUVs around town thanks to the addition of a plug-in hybrid option, badged P400e, for both the Range Rover and smaller Range Rover Sport for the 2019 model year.
The 2019 Range Rover Sport P400e starts at $79,295, and the 2019 Range Rover P400e at $96,145. That places them close to the entry point for each model line; the 2019 Range Rover Sport starts at $67,745, and the 2019 Range Rover at $89,855. All prices mentioned include destination.
The powertrain is common to both and 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 eight-speed automatic transmission, which is then connected to the Range Rover’s standard four-wheel-drive system.
Typically, the vehicles operate in a parallel hybrid mode, where intelligent operation determines when best to use the electric motor, the internal combustion engine or a combination of the two. A save function ensures 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 figures are yet to be published.
For charging, there is a port behind the grille. Owners can monitor the charging status via two illuminated strips that sit either side of the charging port. 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. Charging takes about 2 hours and 45 mins using a 220-volt outlet.
There is a downside to all this. There’s a 250-pound weight gain over the V-8 models, though it hardly makes itself known as the SUVs still waft over unbroken pavement yet stand ready to easily pass other cars on the highway. In short, the hybrids meet our expectations for Land Rover’s high-zoot ‘utes on-road.
Other changes for 2019 include the addition of a limited-edition Range Rover SV Coupe, as well as an available Wade Sensing system on all Range Rover derivatives. The system relies on external sensors to provide real-time wading depth information relative to the maximum wading capability for the current location of the vehicle. The system also provides the driver an indication of the vehicle’s position/angle, and can estimate when the vehicle is potentially going into deeper water or coming out of the water.
