Land Rover steps up electric charge

Range Rover Evoque PHEV

LAND ROVER has lifted the wraps on new plug-in hybrid electric versions of its top selling Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport models.

It means the popular premium compact SUVs can not only achieve an electric-only range of up to 41 miles but also CO2 emissions as low as 32g/km.

Badged P300e, both the new PHEVs – plug-in hybrid electric vehicles – are based on the company’s latest architecture technology which was designed to support electrification while maintaining Land Rover’s trademark off-road capability.

Beneath the bonnet of both the Disco Sport and Evoque is a 200bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a 109bhp electric motor integrated into the rear axle and powered by a lithium-ion battery located below the rear seats.

Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV

Performance is impressive in each case, with acceleration of 0-60mph in just 6.1 seconds for the Evoque and 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds for the Discovery Sport.

And both can reach speeds of up to 84mph using electric power alone.

As for efficiency, the Evoque P300e emits from just 32g/km of CO2 and has an all-electric, zero tailpipe emission range of up to 41 miles, with fuel economy of up to a whopping 201.8 miles per gallon.

Meanwhile the Discovery Sport version can travel up to 38 miles using all-electric power and delivers fuel economy of 175.5mpg. Thanks to its electrified technology, this model produces emissions as low as 36g/km.

Land Rover says the PHEV system can operate in electric-only mode, combustion engine-only mode, or a combination of the two, using GPS and navigation data to optimise efficiency.

And while home charging can be completed fully from a home plug socket in six hours 42 minutes, owners can charge their vehicles from zero to 80 per cent in as little as 30 minutes using 32kW DC public charging or just 1 hour 24 minutes using a 7kW AC wallbox.

The two PHEVs are also fitted with a new eight-speed automatic gearbox instead of the nine-speed transmission used on other versions in the two, which both have full off-road ability with four-wheel-drive.

Software changes include three drive modes – hybrid, EV and a Save setting to maintain battery charge – as well as extra displays on the instrument panel.

The Range Rover Evoque is available in S, SE and HSE specifications, either as standard or R-Dynamic, and the Discovery Sport in R-Dynamic S, SE and HSE specifications.

Jaguar Land Rover’s Product Engineering chief Nick Rogers said: “Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our Jaguar Land Rover family, our latest plug-in hybrid offers the same awesome capability and composure with all-electric driving and stunning efficiency, both on- and off-road.”

The Range Rover Evoque PHEV and Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV are now on sale and cost from £43,850 and £45,370 respectively.

Range Rover Evoque PHEV