Land Rover electrifies PH lineup with Range Rover, Range Rover Sport PHEVs

MANILA: Going “live” from the new boutique showroom on 5^th Avenue cor. 24^th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, All British Cars (ABC), authorized and exclusive dealer of Land Rover vehicles in the country, unveiled two new (and electrified) additions to its SUV lineup: The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

In a release, these twin unveilings are said to be “the brand’s second steps of electrification here in the Philippines, first being the Range Rover Evoque mild-hybrid electric vehicle launched last year.” The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport PHEVs are mainly powered by a 2.0-liter Ingenium Turbocharged Petrol engine “complemented by an 85kW electric motor.” The system enables an acceleration time of 6.7 and 6.8 seconds, respectively, from standstill to 100kph. Both vehicles attain a top rate of 220kph.

Speaking prior to the unveiling, ABC General Manager Chris Ward pointed out that when he first took his Philippine posting with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) 18 months ago, the market was not yet ready for increased electrification. But as a global trend toward electrification and away from the internal combustion engine gained momentum, it made more sense to bring in electrified vehicles.

Replying to a question from ZIGWHEELS, Ward expressed surprise that local customers were actually asking for electrified vehicles – particularly the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace. He is hopeful that the ideally priced vehicles(which are actually cheaper than their conventional-engine siblings) will be warmly welcomed by the market.

ABC said that the new Ranger Rover models boasts a Parallel Hybrid Mode (the default driving mode) which integrates a petrol-fed and electric drive. “The driver can optimize battery charge or fuel economy by utilising one of two charge management functions: Save function – prevents the battery charge dropping below a pre-selected level; Predictive Energy Optimisation (PEO) function – entering a destination in the navigation system enables this feature which uses in built GPS altitude data for the selected route, to intelligently combine the electric motor and petrol engine to maximize fuel economy.” The other mode is a pure EV mode, which lets the vehicle run exclusively via the electric motor’s stored charge in the battery, described as “the ideal… for quiet, zero-emission journeys.”

Speaking of emission, the Range Rover PHEV and Range Rover Sport PHEV reportedly “produce  only 64g/km of CO₂ emissions and reach 2.8L/100km fuel economy on the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC).” In Parallel Hybrid Mode, “both plug-in hybrid models can reach up to 700 kilometers. In EV mode, it provides an all-electric range of up to 50 kilomters without the Ingenium petrol engine running.”

The company underscored that the electrified vehicles will “allow users to make short electric-only trips within Metro Manila with the luxury of near-silent driving.” The system outputs 404ps and 640Nm “instantly available.”

A plug-in hybrid vehicle mainly relies on a combustion engine, but can also run purely on an electric motor – the battery of which charged through regenerative braking, and externally from the grid. Ward said its advantages include improved performance, better fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and a smoother drive.

The Range Rover PHEV and Range Rover PHEV boast a 13kWH high-voltage lithium-ion battery that can be charged from empty to full in two hours, 45 minutes. ABC shared that it is covered with an eight-year, 160,000-kilometer, 70% health state warranty. Each unit comes with a Type 2 Plug 7kWh wall charger. “Installation costs are not included, and it may vary per household. Our supplier will be evaluating interested households if their homes are qualified for a charger before we even sell a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle,” continued the firm.

The Range Rover PHEV is available in Vogue standard wheelbase at P11.99 million and Autobiography long wheelbase at P15.19 million; the Range Rover Sport is priced at P9.49. An additional charger is available for P105,000 (installation not included).

Customers may set an appointment before visiting the showroom or book a virtual appointment through (02) 8784 5003 or +63 919 068.

Photos from All British Cars

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