The forthcoming Range Rover Electric – seen here fully undisguised – has concluded its second season of development in the Arctic Circle. And the move to battery power means no compromise in terms of off-road ability.
Prototype models have been subjected to a combined total of 45,000 miles of gruelling cold weather testing. This includes time spent traversing frozen lakes.
Driving on icy tracks and snow is said to have proven invaluable for Land Rover engineers, helping them to hone the Range Rover Electric’s dynamics in slippery conditions.
Pushed to its limits
One of the key elements tested this year in Arjeplog, Lapland, has been the Range Rover Electric’s new ThermAssist technology.
Developed to help with on-board thermal management, the system is designed to reduce energy consumption, even in the coldest of temperatures.
ThermAssist is capable of lowering energy usage by up to 40 percent. It can also recover heat to warm the cabin or powertrain in temperatures as low as -10ºC.
Such technology will be critical to ensuring the Range Rover Electric’s 117kWh battery pack, complete with 800-volt architecture, maximises its range and performance.
The huge size of the battery, now finally disclosed by JLR, suggests an EV range of at least 300 miles.
‘A driving experience that feels familiar’
Switchable twin-chamber air suspension, plus an all-wheel-drive system able to shuffle 100 percent of torque to the rear axle, were put to the test in the frozen conditions.
The Range Rover Electric’s single-pedal driving mode was evaluated in Sweden, too. The throttle pedal is tuned to work with the luxury SUV’s Terrain Management software.
Single-pedal mode will bring the Range Rover Electric to a complete stop, and can engage Hill Hold on 28-degree and 17-degree inclines.
Matt Becker, vehicle engineering director at JLR, said: “In its driving character, Range Rover should seamlessly combine capability and refinement. Delivering both in an electric vehicle in a way that doesn’t diminish the car in other areas is incredibly challenging.
“By increasing its torsional stiffness and improving its responses, we’ve been able to maintain a customary Range Rover driving experience that feels familiar. We have delivered on this promise by marrying all the essential Range Rover elements with new and advanced technologies.”
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[…] prominently in Arctic-tested vehicles like the new Range Rover Electric. Range Rover’s new ThermAssist technology can recover heat to warm the cabin or powertrain even at temperatures as low as […]