Range Rover’ stylish Evoque enters its second generation with a complete redesign that features the automaker’s Premium Transverse Architecture and little in common with the outgoing version. Conventionally-powered and mild hybrid (MHEV) versions will be sold in the U.S., with the hybrid coming at a base cost of $46,600. A plug-in hybrid variant is planned for offshore markets but it’s not yet clear if it will make it to the States.
The model’s extended, 105.6-inch wheelbase is identical to that of the Jaguar E-Pace, bringing with it more interior space and extra rear knee room. Evoque also gets a version of the E-Pace 's Integral Link rear suspension. The new Evoque platform uses more high-strength steel as well aluminum to save weight. The Evoque also contains about 70 pounds of recycled material.
A 48-volt, lithium-ion battery pack mounted beneath the floor in the MHEV variant connects to a belt-driven motor-generator mounted at the side of the SUV’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter Ingenium engine. The engine turns off while coasting with the system recovering and storing energy normally lost during deceleration. The engine will also shut off while braking at speeds below 11 mph to increase efficiency, restarting as soon as it is needed. This reduces fuel consumption by about 6 percent.
The battery stores up to 200 watt-hours of electrical energy that can be used to generate up to 103 lb-ft torque to assist during acceleration. The MHEV system delivers a combined 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft torque. This compares to 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft for the conventional Evoque. A sprint from 0 to 60 mph is quicker in the hybrid at 6.3 seconds, down from 7.0 seconds.
Gear transitions are handled by a 9-speed automatic transmission with paddles in the AWD Evoque. Driveline Disconnect allows running in front-wheel drive to reduce transmission losses when four-wheel drive is not needed, with this system automatically detecting surfaces and adjusting settings accordingly. Terrain Response offers six drive modes – General, Eco, Sand, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud-Ruts, and Auto – with the latter automatically selecting the most appropriate mode for road conditions and adjusting suspension and electronic systems as needed. Evoque also includes hill-descent control and all-terrain progress control capabilities that enable the vehicle to handle throttle and braking automatically when driving tricky off-road trails, allowing the driver to focus on steering and watching for obstacles.
The Evoque is the first vehicle that can be equipped with Land Rover’s ClearSight ground camera system. Cameras in the radiator grille and side mirrors project images in the infotainment display that allow viewing what‘s in front, under, and to the sides of the front wheels. Through the optional ClearSight rear view mirror, a driver also gets a crystal-clear, unobstructed wide-angle view to the rear for backing up and parking. Cameras are covered with a hydrophobic coating that repels water and mud, a handy feature since the Evoque can wade through water up to 23.6 inches deep.
Plug-in hybrid power combines a 197-horsepower, 1.5-liter three-cylinder Ingenium engine driving the front wheels with a 107-horsepower electric motor powering the rear. There is no mechanical connection between the front and rear axles. The Evoque PHEV is capable of operating as a front-wheel drive vehicle, rear-wheel drive electric vehicle, or as an AWD hybrid with both power sources combined.
Jaguar Land Rover plans to offer an optional electrified powertrain for every one of its models by 2020. The Range Rover P400e, along with the Range Rover Sport P400e, represent the brand's first plug-in electric hybrids. Most significant about the Range Rover P400e is that it’s the first hybrid 4WD vehicle from any automaker that can drive off-road solely on battery power in almost complete silence, and without any emissions. To accomplish this the P400e uses a 144 horsepower electric motor and dual clutches inside the automatic transmission, and an eight-speed ZF transmission with steering wheel paddles for manual control.
The gasoline engine in the P400e is Land Rover’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft torque. Combined engine and electric output is 398 horsepower. Supplying power to the electric motor is a 13.1 kWh lithium-ion battery located beneath the rear floor, necessitating the floor to be raised about 1 1/2 inches. The P400e can run on electric power for about 31 miles at speeds up to 85 mph. Range is reduced substantially in electric off-road mode.
The Range Rover received a mild makeover for 2019 with a longer hood, slimmer LED headlights, wider lower intakes, and black grille accents. Side accents and graphics were also revised, taillights are new, and a restyled rear bumper now integrates boxy exhaust exits. Only a small P400e badge on the tailgate indicates that electrification is at work beneath the skin. Its charge port is hidden behind a flap at the left of the grille. Illuminated strips on either side of the charge port allow a quick check of the battery's charge status.
Air suspension can raise ground clearance up to three inches and the PHEVs can ford 35.4 inches of water like other Range Rovers. With Low Traction Launch software, it can handle slippery surfaces like wet grass, loose gravel, and snow. On ideal surfaces, Land Rover is claiming a 0-60-mph time of 6.4 seconds with a top speed of 137 mph, impressive for vehicles weighing over 2 1/2 tons.
Range Rover’s Touch Pro Duo infotainment system has two 10.0-inch HD displays stacked on top of one another in the center console. The top one is primarily for navigation functions, while the lower screen controls infotainment, car settings, climate control, and other features. An Interactive Driver Display indicates driving efficiency. In Control gives information about charging locations on the route traveled. In parallel hybrid mode, both engine and motor work together for optimum fuel economy and minimum impact on the environment.
When a destination is entered into the navigation system, the P400e's electronic neural network factors in traffic conditions, gradients on the route, and whether driving is in rural or urban environments to deliver the most efficient combination of power modes. Save mode ensures the battery will have enough charge to allow the P400e to operate in pure EV mode in urban areas.
