The new Range Rover Electric is taking aim at one of the biggest contradictions in the luxury EV market: how do you make an electric SUV feel special without making it difficult to live with?
Range Rover’s answer is surprisingly straightforward. Instead of turning its first fully electric SUV into a futuristic-looking experiment, the company has kept the familiar Range Rover shape, added a powerful electric drivetrain and focused heavily on comfort, range and everyday usability.
That makes the Range Rover Electric an interesting proposition for buyers who want a premium EV but are not ready to give up the size, practicality and all-terrain ability of a traditional luxury SUV.
The model has now opened for bookings in India, although the final Indian price has not yet been announced. It will be brought into the country as a completely built unit, putting it firmly in the premium end of the electric SUV market.
The Range Rover Electric looks familiar for a reason
One of the first things that stands out about the Range Rover Electric is what it does not look like.
There is no dramatic attempt to separate it from the rest of the Range Rover family. The overall proportions remain familiar, with the upright stance, long body and clean surfaces that have become closely associated with the name.
There are, naturally, changes to the exterior. The grille has been redesigned, the wheels and underbody have been optimized for the electric powertrain, and several aerodynamic details help the SUV move through the air more efficiently.
But from a distance, it still looks like a Range Rover.
That could prove important. Luxury buyers are often willing to embrace new technology without necessarily wanting their vehicle to look completely different from everything else in their garage.
Range Rover Electric brings serious performance
The quiet appearance hides a considerably more powerful drivetrain.
The Range Rover Electric uses two electric motors, one at each axle, giving it all-wheel drive. Maximum output is rated at 550PS, while peak torque reaches 850Nm in the appropriate driving mode.
Those figures give the large SUV considerably more performance than its imposing dimensions might suggest.
Range Rover quotes a 0-60mph time of 4.3 seconds. For an SUV designed to prioritize comfort and off-road ability as much as speed, that is a substantial amount of acceleration.
The electric setup also brings another advantage that is less obvious on a specification sheet: precise torque control.
Rather than waiting for an engine and transmission to respond, the system can adjust the amount of torque being sent through the drivetrain extremely quickly. That becomes particularly useful when the vehicle is driving over loose or uneven surfaces.
A big battery is central to its practicality
For a large luxury SUV, range is arguably more important than outright acceleration.
The Range Rover Electric uses a 118.5kWh battery, with the company quoting a maximum WLTP range of up to 372 miles, or approximately 600km.
Range Rover’s Indian website gives an estimated real-world figure of around 535km.
Neither number should be treated as a guarantee of what an individual owner will achieve. Highway speeds, outside temperature, wheel size, terrain, passengers and climate-control use can all have a noticeable effect on an EV’s range.
Still, the battery’s size suggests that Range Rover is targeting buyers who expect their luxury SUV to handle more than short urban journeys.
That is important because large electric SUVs can consume considerable energy simply because of their size and weight. A generous battery provides more flexibility, particularly on longer trips.
Charging shouldn’t be an afterthought
Range Rover has also equipped the electric SUV with an 800-volt electrical architecture.
When connected to an appropriate high-power DC charger, the company says the battery can go from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 22 minutes.
That can make a significant difference during a long journey. A short charging stop becomes considerably easier to