Land Rover Defender, Range Rover Evoque and Velar plug-in hybrids confirmed for Australia
Land Rover Australia will introduce plug-in versions of the Range Rover Evoque small SUV, Range Rover Velar medium SUV and Land Rover Defender large SUV later this year, plus an all-new Range Rover PHEV flagship.
Land Rover Australia will expand its plug-in hybrid range from two to five models in 2022 – which will see the brand offer a plug-in version of nearly every SUV it sells.
Land Rover's current plug-in hybrid (PHEV) line-up is currently led by the Range Rover Sport P400e large SUV – however it has now been joined in showrooms by a P300e version of the Range Rover Evoque small SUV, priced from $102,001 before on-road costs.
On January 27, order books will open for the new-generation, full-size Range Rover PHEV – replacing the outgoing, previous-generation offered in Australia since 2018 – ahead of first deliveries in the second half of this year.
The Range Rover Velar plug-in hybrid will be available to order from the second quarter of 2022 (April to June), with order books for a plug-in hybrid, four-door 110 version of the brand's best-selling model, the Land Rover Defender, to open in the third quarter (July to September).
The Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport now become Land Rover's sole remaining models without plug-in hybrid options – though a PHEV variant is available overseas. There's no word on whether it's bound for Australia.
The Evoque P300e on sale in Australia now is powered by a 147kW 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, paired to an 80kW electric motor and a 15kWh lithium-ion battery for combined outputs of 227kW and 540Nm.
Land Rover claims it's capable of a 6.4-second 0-100km/h sprint time. Drive with a lighter right foot and the company claims an all-electric driving range of 62km, combined WLTP fuel economy of 2.0 litres per 100 kilometres (in hybrid mode), a 0-80 per cent recharge time of 30 minutes.
Next to launch is likely to be the Range Rover Velar PHEV, powered by a 'P400e' system pairing a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with a 19.2kWh battery and 105kW electric motor for combined outputs of 297kW/640Nm, 53km of electric driving range, and a 5.4-second 0-100km/h time.
The Land Rover Defender plug-in hybrid – available locally in 110 form only – shares the Velar's P400e powertrain, but its not-so-slippery shape sees electric driving range fall to about 43km, and the 0-100km/h time rise to 5.6 seconds.
Both models can charge from zero to 80 per cent battery in approximately 30 minutes, on a 50kW DC fast charger. As with the Evoque, drivers are offered Hybrid, Save and Electric drive modes.
Meanwhile, the flagship, full-size Range Rover will reach Australia in the second half of 2022 in 'P510e' trim, mating a 294kW 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol inline-six with a 105kW electric motor and 38.2kWh battery for 375kW and 700Nm combined.
Land Rover claims a 5.6-second 0-100km/h sprint time, with between 80 and 100km of electric driving range (depending on how it's measured).
The new models will join the existing Range Rover Sport PHEV – offered with the aforementioned P400e powertrain – though this vehicle is due for replacement within the next 18 months.
“We are delighted to introduce an expanded Land Rover PHEV offering, starting with 23MY Range Rover Evoque P300e. Australian drivers are increasingly considering electrified powertrains – our expanded PHEV line-up offers compelling alternatives to traditional ICE engines, providing customers with more choice," said Scott Maynard, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Australia.
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