You can now put your order in for the new, indeed the first-ever, all-electric Range Rover. Mind you, to do so involves a bit of a leap of faith at the moment as Land Rover is not yet ready to release full details of the car.
V8-like performance
What do we know? Well, Land Rover claims that the car's performance will be 'comparable to the flagship V8' model and we do know it that it will use an 800-volt charging system to maximise its use of DC fast chargers.
We also know that Land Rover is going to equip the electric Range Rover with an active noise cancelling system in the cabin, to ensure that there's absolute hush to match the silence of its electric motors.
Virtual testing has been going on for a year already (including computer-generated scenarios such as wading through 850mm deep water at speeds of up to 50km/h - EVs are of course much better at wading than combustion models because there's no air intake to slosh water down...). Now, the first physical prototypes have been built, and our first sight of the electric Range Rover is this tightly cropped photo of one connected to a charging cable.
Hot and cold testing
Real-world testing is now underway, in locations such as northern Sweden and Dubai, which puts all of the Range Rover's systems through -40C to +50C temperature torture.
The electric Range Rover will be built using Land Rover's Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) in the company's traditional home of Solihull, in England's West Midlands. The car's batteries will be made at a new factory in Wolverhampton, as Land Rover heads towards its 2039 net-zero carbon ambition.
Benchmark for desirability
Geraldine Ingham, Managing Director for the Range Rover, said: "Since going on sale in 2021 the latest generation Range Rover has set a new benchmark for desirability. Across the globe, we're seeing the highest levels of client demand in our 53-year history. Because of this unprecedented success story, we're now opening the official waiting list for the opportunity to be among the first to place a pre-order for the most anticipated Range Rover of recent times. Marking a new era for the Range Rover brand: the original luxury SUV is now available as an all-electric model."
Announcing the next stage in its modern luxury electrification journey, the first fully electric vehicle from Range Rover will amplify its modern luxury credentials. Its exemplary British design remains distinctive and unwavering, while its go-anywhere capability will ensure towing, wading and all-terrain technology surpass any other luxury electric SUV."
Thomas Müller, Executive Director, Product Engineering at JLR said: "We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created. The magic ingredients that underpin the success of Range Rover remain unchanged: timeless, reductionist design, a serene cabin and go-anywhere capability - but now offered with zero tailpipe emissions. And as repeated throughout history, the Range Rover will continue to set the standard. The first of its type. An electric luxury SUV that can deliver on the Range Rover promise. A true global luxury product, as yet unseen in the industry. Created in the heart of the United Kingdom, the Range Rover Electric will slot into the range alongside its mild hybrid and plug-in electric hybrid siblings, offering a breadth of options to meet our clients' needs."