Our video review of the new Range Rover Hybrid shows the part-electric powertrain in action in the wild.
Good news, eco freaks. We’ve just finished testing the Range Rover Hybrid. We’ll have a full video review coming very shortly, but in the meantime, we’ve put tother this test drive preview, in which we talk you through some of the car’s finer features, including the aesthetic differences between the Hybrid and the standard Range Rovers, as well as what’s going on under the surface. Oh, and then we drive it through a sheep dip.
The Range Rover Hybrid is powered by a 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine mounted up front, along with a 35kW electric motor, both of which are mounted to their own individual clutches. The combustion engine and the electric motor can work together or operate in isolation to drive all four wheels of the car.
Working together, they help the Range Rover Hybrid achieve a respectable 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 169g/km – a 26 per cent improvement on the next best Range Rover. They offer plenty of power, too – 340hp and a class-leading 700Nm of torque between 1,500-3,000rpm, which allows a sub-7-second 0-62mph time and a maximum speed of 135mph.
The car also offers an electric-only driving mode, which we also test in the video. Here, it’s able to drive on electric power at speeds in the region of 30mph for roughly a mile at a time – as long as there’s sufficient charge in the battery.
Land Rover claims the Range Rover Hybrid has all the off-roading ability of the standard car, and we’re inclined to say that isn’t far from the truth. Its lithium-ion battery pack is housed in a boron-steel case to protect it against the elements, and its Terrain Response 2 system gives it the ability to traverse just about any surface you’re likely to encounter without so much as breaking a sweat.
But don’t take our word for it, have a look at our early video review and see the thing in action for yourself.
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