The new Range Rover is pure excess on wheels. In a monarch's life, you feel 10 times better than the normal foot soldiers.

Modernization

With each generation, the Range Rover has become a little bit more electric. The previous model featured -for the first time in its history- a plug-in hybrid powertrain. This generation will bring the first-ever fully electric Range Rover in 2024. But even before that happens, this generation outperforms its predecessor in terms of electrification. Why do you ask? Because the majority of petrol engines are fitted with mild hybrid assistance and nowadays you will find not one … but two plug-in hybrids in the range.

Big ass battery

Range Rover knocked the ball out of the park with the P440e and P510e, beating the previous P400e in every aspect. No petit four-cylinder anymore, but an awesome 3.0-liter six-in-line petrol engine -fuck downsizing- in combination with a more powerful electric engine in the 8-speed automatic transmission. Bring the total power output -yes, you guessed it correctly- to 440 and 510 horsepower. Yes, the second one is flirting with V8-power without V8-thirst. As a result, the P440e hits 100 km/h in 6 seconds and the P510e will get you there 0.4 seconds faster and up to a speed of 242 km/h.

However, the most important thing about a plug-in hybrid isn’t the power (we admit, it’s fun), but the electric range. Here too, the Range Rover is making a big leap in the right direction. Where the previous Range Rover PHEV had to make do with a poor 13,1 kWh battery, our British friends have installed a 38,2 kWh battery under the floor of booth plug-ins. This makes their battery pack larger than that of some compact, purely electric cars. Of those 38,2 kWh, only 31,8 kWh are usable in practice and according to the WLTP cycle, you should be able to travel up to 113 kilometers on a full electric charge. We managed between 80 and 90 kilometers, let that just be the amount that JLR itself estimates you will get out of it. Starting with a full battery and driving 100 kilometers, you will notice an average full consumption of only 2-3 liters/100 km. But without that electric help, you will never see that consumption end up below 9 liters even though the drivetrain really tries its best to switch off the combustion engine as much as possible. But what do you expect with 2.8 tons of luxury SUV?

There is another reason why you should connect your Range Rover P510e as much as possible. This lies in the character of the new Range. The SUV of SUVs focuses even more than before on luxury and comfort. Let’s be honest: the only rough terrain this car will ever see is the snow in Sankt Moritz and therefore most of the attention went to the electronically controlled air suspension, active roll stability and noise canceling system. Electric driving fits perfectly in this theory and makes the Range Rover the epitome of tranquility. And with the fast charging up to 50 kW, your pitstops aren’t that time-wasting after all.

Not really missing the V8

Noted to ourselves: Not ALWAYS missing the V8. Sometimes the electric 145 horsepower engine doesn’t cut the butter. No worries, because JLR felt it and is giving the newest electric engines just a little bit more power (P460 and P550). That’s a good thing, especially on the highway. Even with that added power, you will never mistake the Range Rover P510e as a sporty car and even if you do, the first corner will straighten that thought. This colossus skipped the gymnastics class (and we don’t even mind). The inline-six, the electric help, the drivetrain, the suspension … everything works in perfect harmony and ensures a smooth ride.

Thanks to the fact that the battery isn’t crammed under the floor of the trunk, the P510e is just as spacious as its combustion-civilings giving us a booth space of 725 liters. And that isn’t half that bad.

Six digits

The P510e is a real Range Rover! So be prepared for a paragraph full of six-figure numbers. The cheapest plug-in hybrid (P460e, the P440e with a stronger electric engine) started at 144.000 euros (BE). The P550e (this is our tested P510e with the upgrade) will set you back 163.000 euros but offer you the HSE-finish as standard. Our tested vehicle? 180.000 euros.