The Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport will now be offered in a Plug-In Hybrid variant
Both these cars have evolved and their new variants are highly fuel efficient. Though, you can still push the pedal and feel the energy propel you forwards, all thanks to the new 3 cylinder engine.
Plug-in hybrid powertrains are not particularly new for Range Rover, in 2018 the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover were the first SUVs to be offered with a Plug-in hybrid variant. Come 2020, Range Rover has done the same for their highest selling model, the Evoque and the Discovery Sport.
Both these models will share the new 1.5 litre 3 cylinder turbocharged engine, and the hybrid bit of the car is brought alive with the electric motor which is present near the rear axle. The engine may seem undersized for a car of its size and capabilities, but with the electric motor on board, both the cars have a total horsepower of 304, with 372 pound feet of torque, and this engine is mated to a brand new 8 speed automatic gearbox.
Just because this SUV is a hybrid does not mean it would not follow the culture of their brand, and yes, that means both these cars have an All Wheel Drive system, and for the adventurers, you can use this car and it will surely power you through most challenges.
This new hybrid setup allows the Evoque to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, as for the Discovery Sport, it manages to achieve the same speed with a lag of 0.1 of a second making it 6.2. While running on the electric motor alone, both these SUVs can be driven at a maximum speed of 84 mph (135 km/hr).
While driving, the driver can choose 3 different driving modes which are, hybrid, EV and Save. Hybrid allows for the petrol engine and the electrical motor to work in tandem, the EV mode is used when the driver would like to run the car only via its electrical motor.
As for ‘save’, as the name suggests, this mode is used to save the electrical energy by using only the petrol engine. We live in a time where our phones charge within half an hour, and surprisingly, using a DC fast charge, one could charge their EV-oque and EV Discovery Sport within 30 minutes. We truly live in technologically advanced times where our phone and cars can be charged in almost the same amount of time.
Talking about efficiency, the Hybrid Evoque when driven in its EV mode, can offer a range of 41 miles (driving style, road quality can affect this range) and by the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test (also called WLTP), the Hybrid Evoque is rated at 201.8 mpg. The hybrid discovery sport on the other hand , being larger and heavier, when driven on the EV mode, will return a range of 38 miles, and as per the WLTP, this SUV is rated at 175.5 mpg.
Lately, JLR has taken beneficial steps, the recent one being that of, discontinuing the V8 diesel and replacing it with 2 engines, a turbocharged 3.0 V6 mild hybrid which produces 350 ps or 257 kW and another motor producing 300 ps or 220 kW.
The gigantic V8 was used to power the flagship Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, but now they will be powered by the new mild hybrid motors. Similarl steps have been taken in the hybrid Evoque and Discovery Sport, and this kind of progression should be the goal of every automaker. Electric is the future, and the faster automakers adapt to this, the better will it be for them.
