I am not a fan of the cold. I’d rather be on the beach, fruity drink in hand, and staring at the sun until it dips across the horizon. But if I’m ever stuck in the Arctic, I surely don’t want my car to break down in the middle of nowhere, forced to suffer or die in the frozen north. JLR doesn’t want you to break down in their newest Range Rover EV in the Arctic either. They’ve been testing and retesting their car for extreme winter performance, and it seems to be paying off.
The upcoming, newest Range Rover EV isn’t as easy to bring to market as it sounds. Designed entirely in-house at JLR, the Range Rover EV must uphold the highest standards of luxury and off-road capabilities on a new drivetrain platform. Driving on ice isn’t exactly easy, nor is it easy with one pedal, as you would with an electric vehicle (EV). They’re reporting that they’ve successfully tuned the big EV to accept stop-and-starts with one pedal, all without slipping or sliding carelessly.
JLR doesn’t want you to get cold in their Range Rover EV when the temperatures are sub-zero either. They’ve got a new ThermAssist that can handle all the battery heating to optimise range and charging capabilities, while maintaining your cabin at a balmy summer’s day.
Thomas Müller, Executive Director, Product Engineering, JLR, said: “Rigorous testing procedures in extreme and unpredictable conditions like those experienced in Arjeplog are crucial to Range Rover Electric’s real-world reliability and resilience. Our second winter season in the Arctic Circle has provided the perfect opportunity for us to test our new ThermAssistTM technology, and it has surpassed our expectations. It will help to ensure Range Rover Electric’s range remains intelligently optimised while also ensuring charging speeds are maintained when a top-up is required.”
The big 800-volt battery with 117 kWh is set to make this a quick sleigh ride in the Arctic, too. Terrain Response is active and also tuned for icy and single-pedal conditions. JLR is saying, “Effortless, with a sense of power in reserve,” is the feeling you’re going to get while piloting the new Range Rover EV. Air suspension, too, is still present like you’d expect with the twin-chambers getting tuned for the added weight and body movements of an EV.
Matt Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director, 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 vehicle 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.”
Cheers!
M. T. Blake
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