The Range Rover has always been associated with both luxury and off-road competence. The famous SUV is now turning electric and proving itself in one of the most demanding settings on Earth: the Arabian desert.
New Range Rover Electric Test Temps
Range Rover Electric prototypes are now undergoing intensive testing in the UAE. The desert’s temperatures can reach above 50°C (122°F), putting a substantial burden on electric vehicles, which must cool both the interior and the battery simultaneously.
Range Rover has designed a whole new thermal management system, which is being tested in these harsh conditions. The mechanism is intended to maintain the battery and powertrain within their optimal operating temperature range, even during severe desert driving.
Range Rover has created a specialized traction control system that works in tandem with the heat management system to provide consistent power to the wheels. In tests, the Range Rover Electric demonstrated its ability to regularly climb steep sand dunes without losing speed.
“Our tests have shown that in this climate, repeatedly driving the equivalent of 100 meters uphill on fine sand, Range Rover Electric matches the performance of its ICE equivalents, in some instances, even surpassing them – thanks to the introduction of these new features,” says Thomas Müller, Executive Director of Product Engineering for Range Rover.
The Range Rover Electric also has a new Intelligent Torque Management system, which can respond to wheel slip in as short as 1 millisecond, compared to 100 milliseconds for traditional systems. This lightning-fast response increases traction and control on loose surfaces such as sand. The test vehicles successfully completed the “Big Red” challenge in Sharjah’s Al Badayer desert. This required ascending a 91-meter sand dune five times in a row with no decline in performance.
Launched Time
The Range Rover Electric, set to launch in 2025, is a premium SUV capable of handling any terrain, including city streets and desert dunes.
