Land Rover Range Rover Velar Plug-In Hybrid SUV: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

For those keen on an overview of the Indian and global electric vehicle (EV) market, simply scroll down to the end of the article!

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The Land Rover Range Rover Velar PHEV SUV

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Land Rover is an iconic British brand, famed globally for its off-road and four-wheel drive vehicles. Land Rover is owned by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Automotive PLC, a leading luxury vehicle manufacturer with a distinctive reputation of being British and iconic. However the automotive company is now owned by the leading Indian industrial conglomerate, the Tata Group. The portfolio of Range Rover electric vehicles (EVs) include:

• Range Rover Evoque PHEV SUV
• Range Rover Velar PHEV SUV
• Range Rover Sport PHEV SUV
• Range Rover PHEV SUV

The Land Rover Range Rover Velar (simply known as Range Rover Velar) luxury SUV was unveiled in London in early 2017. The Velar is the fourth model in the Range Rover SUV line-up. Deliveries commenced in late 2017. The SUV is now also available as a mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV) and a plug-in electric vehicle (PHEV). Land Rover has not announced a date for the introduction of the pure electric Velar SUV.

If a roofline closer to a coupé style is your thing, then the Range Rover Velar is a more compelling choice, than the more traditionally styled roofline of the Range Rover Sport. With the availability of the plug-in hybrid drivetrain for the Velar, the SUV has advanced its attractiveness, for both families and company-car drivers keen on lowering the cost of motoring.

The Velar PHEV combines a 2.0-litre (4-cylinder) turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor. The automotive manufacturer claims a fuel economy up to 128.4 mpg for the electric vehicle (EV). Of course, the real-world fuel economy will depend on a number of factors, but none as influential as using the e-mode. Bottom-line, to increase the fuel economy of the electric vehicle and lower the driving costs, the PHEV should be driven as much as possible on the pure electric mode.

Given the WLTP certified emission-free range is 32 miles, and most commutes are short, there is much scope for taking advantage of electric driving to save money. The PHEV has a 17.1 kWh onboard EV battery, which is reasonably standard for a PHEV of this size. However, expect the real-world emission-free electric range to be closer to 27 miles. The EV range is impacted by a number of factors, to include: driving profile, speed, load, regenerative braking, road conditions, weather, wheel size and a lot more.

Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed recommend the use of a dedicated EV charging station, like easee to charge the EV. We do not encourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug.

The EV is capable of DC charging up to 32 kW (0%-80%: 30 minutes). Do keep in mind that most PHEVs are not capable of DC rapid charging. Charging the EV (0% – 80%) using a single-phase EV charger will take up to one hour and 40 minutes. Of course, if you top up on a regular basis, the charging time will be faster. The EV incorporates a 7 kW AC onboard charger. Land Rover offers a warranty up to 6 years or 60,000 miles.

The performance of the all-wheel drive electric SUV is good, despite the additional weight of the onboard EV battery. The Range Rover Velar P400e PHEV can achieve 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds, with a top speed up to 130 mph. The drivetrain delivers a maximum power of 404 HP (torque: 640 Nm), sufficient for city and motorway driving.

As can be expected from a premium priced SUV, the Velar plug-in hybrid offers a high quality interior, with a good level of standard safety features and technology. These include: 10″ touchscreen, Pivi Pro with connected navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, rear camera, lane keep assist, driver condition monitor, dynamic stability control, roll stability control and more. The EV has been awarded Five-Stars for the NCAP safety rating.

In terms of practicality, the roofline does impact the available headroom for rear seat passengers. Nevertheless, the inside cabin is spacious. The boot space is also impacted by the placement of the EV battery and offers up to 440 L.

The EV has claimed tailpipe emissions up to 57g CO2/km. Again, substantially lower than the emissions of the conventional combustion engine variant. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Range Rover Velar plug-in electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
A luxurious and good looking PHEV SUV	Expensive, specially at the higher trim levels
DC charging compatible	EV battery capacity small and limited electric range
Running on electric mode is cheap	Headroom for rear centre seat could be better

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The Range Rover Velar Plug-In Hybrid (credit:JLR)

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Driving an electric vehicle (EV) is cheaper than driving a petrol or diesel vehicle. As an example, in India, filling a full tank of fuel for the internal combustion engine (ICE) Tata Nexon SUV will cost up to Rs 5,000 (assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 100. The Tata Nexon has a fuel tank capacity of 44 L).

In comparison, the Tata Nexon Pure Electric SUV will cost less than Rs 300 for a full EV battery charge (EV Battery size: 30.2 kWh). In India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh(unit). Therefore the cost to drive per km (or mile) in a pure electric vehicle is substantially lower than a petrol or diesel vehicle.

At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant!

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Vehicle Type:	SUV
Engine:	Electric/ Petrol
Available In India:	No

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Trims (2 Options)
Velar
R-Dynamic

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 17.1 kWh
Charging:	32 kW DC charging: 0% – 80%: 30 minutes. Onboard charger: 7 kW AC (0% – 80%: 1hr 40 mins)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	57 – 49g (CO2/km)
Warranty:	6 years or 60,000 miles

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1683
Width (mm):	2041
Length (mm):	4797
Wheelbase (mm):	2874
Turning Circle (m):	12
Boot Space (L):	440

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P400e PHEV
EV Battery Capacity:	17.1 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	32 miles
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km):	218.6
Fuel Consumption (mpg):	108.6 – 128.4
Charging:	32 kW DC charging: 0-80%: 30 minutes. On board charger: 7 kW AC
Top Speed:	130 mph
0-60 mph:	5.1 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	N/A
Max Power (HP):	404
Torque (Nm):	640
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight-EU (kg):	2,233
Colours:	24
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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India Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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India, like many other countries, is well positioned to benefit from the shift to zero-tailpipe emission electric driving. Road transportation is a major contributor to air pollution (over 30%), choking our towns, cities and villages across India. Diesel vehicles, in particular, diesel trucks and diesel buses, are significant sources for tailpipe emissions. But given the rise in the standard of living, since liberalisation, the demand for privately owned passenger cars has increased at an unprecedented pace, further worsening the air quality. India has more than 3 crores (30 million) cars releasing tailpipe emissions on its roads!

Though we have seen some improvements in air quality during the ongoing pandemic (as a result of lower vehicle traffic), India’s shift to electric driving will be key in achieving long-term higher air quality. Of course, apart from EVs, the continued development of green and renewable energy infrastructure will be key in achieving lower long-term air pollution. India has already demonstrated global leadership in regards to large-scale solar and wind projects! Hopefully, India will replicate the success with zero-emission electric vehicles.

Despite recent announcements and support from local and national government agencies in India, the EV market is still at a nascent stage, well, at least in terms of electric cars and electric vans. Two-wheel electric scooters and three-wheel electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws) have demonstrated a strong uptake, and India is poised to become a global leader in electric scooters and electric rickshaws (e-tuk). In fact, the ubiquitous e-rickshaw commands an impressive 83% of the Indian electric vehicle market. India currently has over 15 lakhs (1.5 million) e-rickshaws, with each EV playing a role in reducing tailpipe emissions on our roads in India.

Sales of passenger electric cars is still at an early stage. In FY2021, though the market witnessed a growth of nearly 110% from the previous year, the absolute volume of cars sold was only 5,905 electric cars. Currently there are less that 15 pure electric car models available on sale in India.

Tata Motors, the biggest automotive manufacturer in India has launched the Tata Nexon electric SUV. Mahindra Electric, another leading Indian automotive manufacturer, has also launched a number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), to include, the Mahindra eVerito electric car, Mahindra eSupro electric van and Mahindra e2o Plus compact electric car. International manufacturers, like UK based MG Motors, have also launched the MG ZS electric SUV in India. Also available are the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV and the Hyundai Kona electric SUV.

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Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), more commonly referred to simply as, electric vehicles (EVs) or as plug-in electric cars, have come a long way over the past decade and certainly a long way over the past 100 years.

Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation.  Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages.  In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage.  Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention at that time. 

We are now witnessing a similar fundamental shift in road transportation, as polluting internal combustion engines (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicles are being replaced by low-emission and zero-emission electric vehicles. In countries like the United Kingdom, a leader in e-mobility, we can expect a comprehensive replacement of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 (UK will ban the sale of new ICE cars in 2030). The UK is not the only country that has a vision of a mass transition to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars.

Since 2011, the global electric vehicle (EV) market has increased at a year-over-year growth rate of over 50%. In 2020, according to the Global EV Outlook 2021 report, the global stock of electric vehicles (EVs) had surpassed 10 million units . In 2015, the Global stock was just over 1 million units. In 2020, Europe accounted for the largest share of new car registrations of EVs (1.4 million registered electric vehicles), followed by China (1.2 million electric vehicles). In Europe, countries like Norway, Iceland and Sweden continue to show strong leadership in the transition to electric driving. In Norway more than 75% of new cars are electric, followed by 50% in Iceland and 30% in Sweden.

However, this is not just a western phenomenon. A number of countries across the world have announced their support for electric cars, to include India. Pure electric cars are now common sightings in a number of global markets, and EV automotive manufacturers, like California based Tesla Motors are now household brands.

Traditional automotive manufactures have also shown significant commitment to the migration to electric engines, to include Volvo Cars, the Volkswagen Group, Renault, Nissan, Peugeot, Hyundai, Mercedes, Land Rover and many more. Forecast for the sale of EVs suggest up to 30 million electric vehicles to be sold before the end of the current decade.

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