300-mile electric Land Rover Defender is coming

26 December 2022

According to Auto Express, the Land Rover Defender is expected to receive an electric powertrain in the near future. The current generation of the Defender was introduced in 2020, and it is rumored that fully electric versions of the 90, 110, and 130 models may be added to the Defender lineup in 2025, with the vehicles becoming available for purchase in 2026.

Land Rover's new MLA Flex platform is expected to replace the D7 Premium Lightweight Architecture and will be used for the future Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models. These vehicles are expected to be available with all-electric powertrains in 2024.

The mid-life upgrade for the Land Rover Defender is not expected to change the vehicle's appearance. The Defender's design and proportions are expected to remain unchanged, similar to the Discovery Sport's mid-life upgrade to the Premium Transverse Architecture in 2019.

While the infotainment system may receive an upgrade with a larger screen, the interior design of the Land Rover Defender is expected to remain largely unchanged due to its popularity. Land Rover may consider using more sustainable materials in the vehicle's construction to improve its environmental impact.

Engineers at Land Rover are reportedly optimistic about the potential for the Defender to become fully electric while maintaining or even improving its off-road capabilities. The use of software management and torque vectoring may help to improve the delivery of electric power. In addition, a fully flat underbelly is expected to enhance the Defender's ground clearance and off-roading capabilities.

According to sources at Land Rover, the all-electric Range Rover, which is scheduled for release in 2024, will be equipped with a 100 kWh battery that is expected to provide at least 300 miles of all-electric range.

According to an exclusive image of the electric version of the Land Rover Defender, the all-electric vehicles are expected to have blanked-out intake grills, possibly because they require less cooling than internal combustion engine (ICE) versions. It is also worth noting that the Jaguar I-Pace, which is currently the only all-electric car offered by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is expected to receive a facelift in 2023.

Thierry Bolloré, the former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), stated that the Land Rover Discovery, which shares its platform and manufacturing lines with the Defender, is being "entirely redesigned" as it becomes all-electric and moves upmarket. Bolloré added that it is important for the company to be imaginative in this process.

According to Bolloré, the Land Rover Discovery must become a "true family vehicle for the most discerning households" in order to remain competitive in the premium market. He emphasized the importance of the Discovery fulfilling this role in order to avoid disappearing from the market.

Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Reimagine initiative, which aims to electrify the Land Rover lineup by the end of the decade and transform Jaguar into an all-electric premium brand, is ongoing under the leadership of interim CEO Adrian Mardell. JLR's global plants are also reportedly preparing for the production of battery-electric vehicles as part of this effort.

Land Rover currently has a backlog of over 200,000 orders for its vehicles, primarily the high-margin Range Rovers, Range Rover Sports, and Defenders. As a result, the company's current management is reportedly not in a rush to release all-electric versions of these models.

According to JLR, a significant portion of its buyers are interested in electrified vehicles. Mild-hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace currently make up around 65% of all models sold by the company.

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