Will the Range Rover Sport live up to its name?
Range Rover says it has tuned the Sport Electric’s chassis to reward keen drivers, while simultaneously fitting it with a range of advanced chassis technologies ensuring that it will excel for ride comfort and rolling refinement on-road, and maintain its ability to plug through rough terrain when off-road – like all ‘proper’ Range Rovers.
The confirmed drivetrains for the Range Rover Sport Electric are both dual-motor set-ups. There’s a slightly lower-powered variant with 450hp, while the upper model has peak outputs of 550hp and 850Nm of torque.
This makes it as quick as a petrol V8-powered P540 model, recording a 4.5-second 0-100km/h time, but the Electric also has its own tune of Intelligent Traction Management, as well as Dynamic Air Suspension, Electronic Active Roll Control, twin-valve dampers, Adaptive Dynamics 2 and four-wheel steering.
Work has even gone into how the Range Rover Sport Electric will sound while it’s in motion, with its acoustic design said to “blur the lines between music and engineering”. Various tones are adapted to encourage drivers to engage with the different drive modes of the electric SUV.
Range Rover says the Sport Electric is 61 per cent stiffer and has a 73mm-lower centre-of-gravity than an equivalent plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) model, while powering the entire shebang will be a 118.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Each electric motor is rated at 260kW, while the SUV sits on advanced 800-volt architecture, allowing for both ultra-rapid and split-charging facilities.
It is claimed that at its fastest DC replenishment rate, the Range Rover Sport Electric can take in up to 220km of additional driving range in just ten minutes of connection or go from 10-80 per cent battery charge in a respectable 22 minutes.
The overall range figure quoted for the zero-emission SUV is up to 609km, which will presumably be for the less-potent 450hp model.
Finally, the Sport’s aerodynamically optimised ‘grille’ and alloy-wheel designs ensure the EV can go further to a charge at motorway speeds than it otherwise would; Range Rover claims by up to 16km, all told.
What about Irish trims and prices for the Range Rover Sport EV?
There are four trim levels for the Range Rover Sport Electric, split three to each powertrain. The 450hp variant kicks off at €123,830 for a Dynamic SE, with the Dynamic HSE coming in at €132,790 and the grandest Autobiography requiring a minimum €143,050.
Stepping up to the 550hp model is dearer, even in its base specification of Dynamic HSE (€145,750). It too is sold in Autobiography trim (€156,220) but also has a First Edition special listed for €159,570.
When can I order the Range Rover Sport Electric in Ireland?
Order books are open now (September 30), with options including an exterior Black Pack and a Satin Wrap.
Autobiography buyers can further avail of the Range Rover Bespoke commissioning service, which allows personalisation to a much greater extent than the standard configurations can provide.
Do you think the Range Rover Sport Electric will drive well?
We don’t need to assume, as Dave has already driven a pre-production version of the electric Range Rover Sport. Go to the Range Rover Sport reviews page for the full story.
If there is anything about this story we have not covered, you can avail of our expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.