Land Rover is getting ready to launch its crucial new Range Rover Electric, the first new all-battery model from JLR since Jaguar first launched the I-Pace.
Where is the new Range Rover Electric being tested?
As part of its rigorous prototype testing, the new Range Rover Electric has been taken to the deserts of the United Arab Emirates to test its tolerance for extreme heat and humidity.
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.”
What are the conditions like out there?
The Range Rover Electric is having to cope with merciless temperatures of 50C and up to 90 per cent humidity while it’s being tested. It’s not just about dune-bashing, either — the new Range Rover is being put through some pretty arduous high-temperature city traffic cycles too. According to Land Rover: “Nothing is left unexplored in pursuit of maximum client cabin comfort and vehicle capability.”
It’s not just about city driving and parking, right?
There is one true off-road challenge out here in the UAE, though: In the heart of Sharjah’s Al Badayer desert, ‘Big Red’ stands tall amongst saffron-coloured dunes. The natural 100-metre dune formation is Dubai’s greatest desert hill climb. According to Land Rover, all Range Rover vehicles are subjected to completing the ascent five times without showing any reduction in performance before proceeding to the next testing stage. Apparently, the Range Rover Electric completed the feat with flying colours.
To help it with such grip-less conditions, Land Rover has given the Range Rover Electric a new Intelligent Torque Management system, which distributes the wheel slip management task directly to each individual electric drive control unit, reducing the torque reaction time at each wheel from around 100 milliseconds, to as little as one millisecond, offering improved traction control while driving on fine sand.
The new Range Rover Electric goes on sale in 2025.