Land Rover has plans to send a handful of Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports on a nearly 10,000-mile journey from the manufacturer’s headquarters in Solihull, England, to the base of its parent company, Tata Motors, located in Mumbai, India. That all sounds rather ordinary from Land Rover, frankly, except for the fact that these Range Rovers will be hybridized—the first production-spec Range Rover hybrids, to be precise. The goal, according to the brand, is to prove that its hybrid offerings feature the same off-road pedigree for which the badge has become so famous.
The powertrain pairs Land Rover’s ubiquitous-in-Europe 3.0-liter V-6 diesel with an electric motor producing 47 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque for a combined output of 336 horsepower and maximum torque of 516 lb-ft. (The automaker didn’t elaborate on the state of tune of the diesel in this application, but in standard guise, the mill is rated for 254 horsepower and 443 lb-ft.) A ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic handles shifting duties. The hybrids are capable of traveling on electricity alone: for one mile and at speeds of up to 30 mph. Regenerative braking is also part of the deal.
The entirety of the hybrid system—including the electric motor, the inverter, and the liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack—weighs less than 265 pounds. Land Rover says that its all-aluminum architecture underpinning the new Range Rover was designed with hybridization in mind, so no interior space has been compromised. The battery pack resides in a steel cradle below the floor, and both vehicles retain their original seating configurations and full-size spare tires.
In addition to a claimed 14 percent reduction in emissions when compared to the standard 3.0-liter diesel, Land Rover is pegging the mileage for both models at 44 mpg in the famously hopeful European cycle. Runs from a stop to 62 mph come up in less than seven seconds, according to the manufacturer, and the models will reach a top speed of 135 mph—numbers that are comparable to or slightly better than their fossil-fuel-powered V-6 brethren.
Land Rover will begin taking orders on its new pair of hybrids in September, with deliveries expected in early 2014. While earlier reports claimed that we may get a diesel-hybrid Range Rover of our own, Land Rover tells us that there are no plans to bring either model to the U.S.
Andrew Wendler brings decades of wrenching, writing, and editorial experience with numerous outlets to Car and Driver. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Car and Driver, Esquire, Forbes, Hot Rod, Motor Trend, MPH, MSN, and Popular Mechanics, among others. A Rust Belt native and tireless supporter of the region, he grew up immersed in automotive, marine, and aviation culture. A lifetime of hands-on experience and a healthy dose of skepticism provide him the tools to deliver honest and informative news, reviews, and editorial perspective. Of note, he once won a $5 bet by walking the entire length of the elevated People Mover up track that encircles downtown Detroit.
