Range Rover’s first electric SUV has 48,000 pre-orders

By Nick Godt November 10, 2024 9:12AM

Land Rover Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Range Rover, the brand made famous for its British-styled, luxury, all-terrain SUVs, is keen to show it means business about going electric.

And, according to the most recent investor presentation by parent company JLR, that’s all because Range Rover fans are showing the way. Not only was demand for Range Rover’s hybrid vehicles up 29% in the last six months, but customers are buying hybrids “as a stepping stone towards battery electric vehicles,” the company says.

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As proof, JLR says there are already 48,000 pre-orders for the Range Rover Electric, the brand’s first fully electric vehicle to be launched before year-end.

While the new SUV’s 8000-volt architecture promises fast charging, it’s clear Range Rover still wants it to keep up with the brand’s all-terrain tradition. The luxury SUV also promises to withstand wading through up to 33.4 inches of deep water.

Next year, JLR is also expected to launch an electric Range Rover Sport, sharing the same platform as the Range Rover Electric and existing hybrid vehicles. But it has also launched a new platform that will facilitate further inroads into electrification. The automaker has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2039.

“JLR is able to offer a range of fuel options to meet the energy transition dynamics of each market, and we will offer a pure electric variant of each nameplate by 2030 with the aim of reaching carbon net zero by 2039,” Mark Camilleri, director of electrification services at JLR, said in a statement.

Further marking JLR’s commitment to electric, the automaker said another smaller Range Rover SUV will be coming out of its new EMA platform by 2026.

That new SUV is expected to be the electric replacement of the Range Rover Velar, according to AutoCar. It will also be the first EV to feature “hands-free, eyes on” technology.

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Early November typically kicks off the run-up to the Black Friday sales season, and this year, Rivian is betting it’s the perfect time to lure gasoline drivers toward its EVs.
If you own or lease a vehicle that runs on gasoline, which means even a hybrid vehicle, Rivian is ready to give you $3,000 off the purchase of one of its select fully electric vehicles -- no trade-in required.
The offer from the Irvine, California-based automaker extends to customers in the U.S. and Canada and runs through November 30, 2024. The program applies to Rivian 2025 R1S or R1T Dual Large, Dual Max, or Tri Max models purchased from R1 Shop.
Rivian’s new All-Electric Upgrade offer marks a change from a previous trade-in program that ran between April and June. There, owners of select 2018 gas-powered vehicles from Ford, Toyota, Jeep, Audi, and BMW could trade in their vehicle and receive up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a new Rivian.
This time, buyers of the R1S or R1T Rivian just need to provide proof of ownership or lease of a gas-powered or hybrid vehicle to receive the discount when they place their order.
Rivian is not going to be the only car maker offering discounts in November. Sluggish car sales from giants such as Stellantis and rising inventories of new cars due to improving supply chains suggest automakers and dealerships will be competing to offer big incentives through the year's end.
This follows several years of constrained supply following the COVID pandemic, which led to higher prices in North America.
According to CarEdge Insights, average selling prices for cars remain above what would be called affordable. But prices should continue improving along with rising inventories.
Stellantis brands are entering November with the most inventory, followed by GM and Ford, according to CarEdge. Toyota and Honda, meanwhile, have the least inventory, meaning they probably won’t be under pressure to offer big incentives.