Range Rover Electric revealed in desert testing

The Range Rover Electric is currently undergoing hot weather testing in the United Arab Emirates, and it has provided an opportunity to relatively quietly reveal for the first time how the car will look. In contrast to the radical Jaguar we’re anticipating seeing on Monday, the Range Rover is – visually, at least – business as usual. Only a revised grille differentiates it from its petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid equivalents. It will be based on the same Modular Longitudinal Architecture as those cars, too.

Chief among the systems being tested in the UAE is a new intelligent thermal management system, whose job it is to ensure the batteries remain cool no matter what’s thrown at them. Test routes take in gruelling desert landscapes and sun-soaked cities where temperatures can reach 50 degrees celcius and humidity is up at 90 per cent. If the car can cope with that, it should take a summer’s day in Coventry in its stride.

Thomas Müller, Executive Director, Product Engineering, said: “A hot climate is one of the most challenging for any battery electric vehicle, because of the need to cool the cabin and optimise battery performance at the same time. The additional challenge of driving on sand requires controlled low-speed torque, so our specially developed traction control and thermal management systems work in harmony to ensure power delivery is unaffected.

"Our tests have shown that in this climate, repeatedly driving the equivalent of 100 metres uphill on fine sand, Range Rover Electric matches the performance of its ICE equivalents; in some instances, even surpassing them – thanks to the introduction of these new features.”

On-road comfort will be prime in most buyers’ considerations and the quiet nature of the EV platform will play in the Range Rover’s strengths as a luxury car. But off-road capability is also a box that needs ticking. Even if buyers have no intention of leaving the tarmac, they like to know their Range Rover can.

The new Intelligent Torque Management system allows each individual electric drive control unit to manage wheelspin and deliver torque to the wheel which can best deploy it. Compared to previous systems, the reaction time has been reduced from 100 milliseconds to one millisecond, with the knock-on benefit to off-road ability.

In the Sharjah Al Badayer desert, the 300ft ‘Big Red’ sand dune provides the perfect testing ground for the Range Rover Electric. It has to complete the ascent five times with no reduction in performance before it can move onto the next test – something we’re told it completed with ease.

We’re a way off hearing about performance figures, pricing and battery specifications, but we’d expect the Range Rover Electric to be closest in all regards to the V8. One thing’s for sure: the quiet composure of an EV powertrain is well suited to a large luxury car, and if it can do that and remain competent off-road then it looks like a true Range Rover experience for the electrified age. When the time comes, we’ll try not to be too distracted by Jaguar screaming ‘look at me!’