Land Rover Plotting Pure Electric 'Road Rover' Model

Jaguar Land Rover is plotting a new model range called ‘Road Rover’.

According to Autocar, the new vehicle range will launch with the debut of the first Road Rover model in late 2019. It will be pure electric and will share an aluminum platform with the next-generation Jaguar XJ. Road Rover models will be capable of light off-roading but will place an equal emphasis on overall road performance and luxury. With Road Rover, JLR is looking to introduce all-new vehicle segments to attract more buyers – something it did with the Evoque and the recently released Velar.

The Road Rover will take aim at luxurious vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but will be much more capable off-road than rival luxury cars thanks to height-adjustable suspension and on-demand all-wheel drive. The added capability won’t come at the expensive of on-road performance, however, with the electric motors aiding in handling performance and also enabling a 0-60 mph sprint of around 5 seconds. Total range for the EV should sit at 300 miles or more.

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It sounds as though the Road Rover will follow a similar ethos as the Audi E-Tron Sportback. First shown in concept form earlier this year, the production E-Tron Sportback will be a high-riding EV crossover with a sporty coupe-like roofline. The concept featured a 430 horsepower EV drivetrain with a 95-kWh lithium-ion battery pack providing up to 310 miles of range. The Audi won’t be the only competitor the Road Rover will encounter, with Porsche planning an EV sedan and Mercedes-Benz planning an entire lineup of EVs with its EQ sub-brand.

If these rumors ring true, we should see the first Road Rover model rear its head at the 2019 Los Angeles Motor Show.

[Source: Autocar]