Range Rover Hybrid LWB debuts in Beijing

Land Rover unveiled the new Range Rover Hybrid Long Wheelbase at the ongoing 13th Beijing International Automobile Exhibition. The new Range Rover LWB will be the first diesel hybrid offered by any manufacturer in China. The new SUV comes with 186mm of additional legroom which will benefit the rear passengers and is meant to woo Asia’s largest market. The optional executive seating package enables the rear seats to recline by 17 degrees.

The Range Rover Hybrid powertrain combines Land Rover’s 3.0-litre SDV6 diesel engine with a 35kW electric motor, mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. The hybrid engine will produce a combined 335bhp at 4000rpm and 700Nm at 1500–3000rpm. Land Rover claims, the addition of a lithium ion battery pack, inverter and electric motor has added less than 120kg to the kerb weight of the vehicle. In electric mode, the Range Rover Hybrid can reach up to 48kmph and cover a distance of 1.6 kilometres. The batteries charge up using kinetic energy through regenerative braking. The hybrid engine also boasts of an impressive fuel efficiency of 15.62kmpl.

Land Rover used a fleet of Range Rover LWB Hybrid SUVs in the Silk Trail expedition conducted from the Land Rover factory in Solihull, U.K. to the Mumbai headquarters of Tata Motors covering 16,000km. Land Rover claims the studies and findings had given vital insights into product development before launching the final production model.