The Range Rover electric has finally arrived

🗞️ Driving the news: JLR has launched the Range Rover Electric, first announced in December 2023 and delayed from a 2024 arrival by extended development testing
• It runs dual 260-kW motors producing up to 542 horsepower, a 118.5-kWh battery with 800-volt split-charging that recovers 10–80% in 22 minutes, and a claimed WLTP range of 372 miles
• UK pricing starts at £154,070 and reaches £225,240 for the SV Black long-wheelbase; US buyers can access a lower SE spec from $138,000

🔭 The context: The delay reportedly reflects weak appetite among wealthy buyers for luxury EVs, sales of the electric Mercedes G-Wagen have been poor, with Porsche and Audi facing similar results
• JLR is positioning the vehicle as "Range Rover first, electric second."
• The company filed over 300 patent applications, and ran physical testing equivalent to 38 circumnavigations plus more than 250,000 hours of virtual tests, backing an eight-year or 100,000-mile warranty.

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Electrifying large luxury SUVs removes tailpipe emissions from a segment with the highest fuel consumption per vehicle, but the environmental gain is partial
• A 118.5-kWh battery is roughly double that of a typical compact EV, carrying proportionally greater raw material demand for lithium, nickel and cobalt, and higher manufacturing emissions to offset before the vehicle breaks even against a combustion equivalent

⏭️ What's next: The Range Rover GT, an all-electric grand tourer on JLR's Electrified Modular Architecture, is in final testing ahead of a launch expected later this year
• That platform is expected to underpin further midsized models

💬 One quote: The source article contains no directly attributable quote from a named individual — only claims attributed to JLR as a company

📈 One stat: 118.5 kWh battery capacity, delivering a claimed 372-mile WLTP range.

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