By Moses Akaigwe
The Range Rover Velar has a powertrain to suit every client, including a fuel-efficient P400e plug-in electric hybrid, now with a 21 percent improvement in range, for up to 64km5 of electric-only driving. It is available alongside a range of smooth Ingenium petrol and diesel engines.
All powertrains complement Range Rover Velar’s effortlessly balanced and composed driving dynamics, with a suite of advanced chassis and suspension technologies providing a confidence-inspiring drive on every terrain.
The fuel-efficient P400e plug-in electric hybrid Velar is expected to be introduced into the Nigeria as and when the market demands it by Coscharis Motors Plc, the company that represents the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands in the local market.
The Range Rover Velar is available with an advanced P400e plug-in electric hybrid powertrain. It provides the best of all worlds, combining a 105kW electric motor with an Ingenium petrol engine to provide effortless and hushed performance.
The balance of electric-only driving and petrol performance means the Range Rover Velar P400e is perfect for short urban trips and longer journeys. It has an expected real-world range of up to 51km4 – enough to ensure the average daily distance driven in a Range Rover Velar could be done with zero tailpipe emissions. For longer journeys, the plug-in hybrid powertrain provides a combined real-world 684km of petrol and electric range8.
Using electric power alone, it can drive for up to 64km certified, while overall CO2 emissions are from 38g/km on the WLTP cycle, with fuel consumption of up to 1.6l/100km5. The electric-only range has been increased from 53km5 thanks to a larger 19.2kWh battery, 12 percent larger than before thanks to the addition of an extra module. The additional battery module – taking the total to nine – also enables enhanced driving performance and consistency, meaning the Velar P400e is capable of utilising more of its battery and smooth electric performance more of the time. Despite the larger battery pack, dimensions are unchanged and interior space is uncompromised.
With a combined 297kW and 640Nm of torque from its 221kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine and 105kW electric motor, the Velar electric hybrid is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds, and a top speed of 209km/h. The Velar P400e can also travel on electric power alone up to speeds of 140km/h5.
Drivers can select from three driving modes:
•EV Mode – enables the vehicle to prioritise running solely on the electric power using the energy stored in the battery, for quiet, zero-tailpipe emissions journeys.
•HYBRID Mode – intelligently blends EV and conventional driving, according to the road, journey and set destination. It makes optimum use of the battery, including automatically switching to EV mode when you enter a city centre low-emission zone. Predictive Energy Optimisation ensures a smooth and comfortable journey.
•SAVE Mode – prioritises the combustion engine as its energy source, maintaining the battery’s state of charge at a chosen level, which can then be used at a specific point in the journey – for example when entering urban areas.
Clients can conveniently charge their Range Rover Velar in three ways. The P400e is one of very few plug-in electric hybrid vehicles capable of rapid DC charging, with a 0-80 percent charge possible in as little as 30 minutes away from home using a 50kW charger3. At home, it can charge from 0-100 percent using a 7kW AC charger in 2.5 hours, while three-pin charging is also possible when required.
Clients are also able to control and monitor their home charging on a smart phone via the Remote App2 – which can be used to precondition the cabin too. Clients can effectively set charging times to take advantage of energy efficient off-peak tariffs or simply to suit their lifestyle.
In-line Ingenium petrol and diesel engines
The latest generation of the smooth and fuel efficient Ingenium petrol straight-six engines are available with 48-volt Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology for superior efficiency and power delivery.
The MHEV system uses a Belt integrated Starter Generator (BiSG) to harvest energy usually lost under deceleration, which is then stored in a 48-volt lithium-ion battery located beneath the rear loadspace. It can redeploy the stored energy to assist the engine when accelerating, while also delivering a more refined and responsive start-stop system.
In South Africa the 3.0-litre straight-six Ingenium petrol engine is available in P340 MHEV form delivering 250kW and 480Nm of torque, with acceleration from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds.
The lightweight straight-six Ingenium petrol engine features a number of innovations. An electric supercharger, supported by a twin-scroll turbocharger, features an exhaust manifold split into two ‘scrolls’ that each feed the turbo from three cylinders. This separates the flow and creates greater spacing between exhaust pulses for improved drivability from low engine speeds.
Continuous Variable Valve Lift (CVVL) also allows the engine to produce power and torque as efficiently as possible by varying the extent to which inlet valves are opened, for enhanced responses.
The 3.0-litre straight-six D300 diesel engine produces 221kW and 650Nm of torque to deliver powerful performance, with acceleration from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds. Pioneering technologies include a high-pressure fuel injection system, which operates at up to 2,500 bar and is able to deliver five injections per cycle with quantities as small as 0.8 milligrams in just 120 microseconds (0.00012 seconds) for enhanced fuel efficiency and refinement5.
State-of-the-art Exhaust Gas Recirculation technology also optimises fuel efficiency and refinement while close-coupled, sequentially arranged turbos feature electric variable nozzle turbines for precise control and immediate responses. At 2,000rpm the engines can deliver 90 percent of peak torque in just over one second.
The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder D200 Ingenium diesel engine produces 146kW and 430Nm.
The Range Rover Velar engine range comprises:
Electric Hybrid
•P400e – 297kW, 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol PHEV, 640Nm of torque at 1,500-4,400rpm, eight-speed automatic, AWD
Petrol
•P340 – 250kW, 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol MHEV, 480Nm of torque at 1,500-4,500rpm, eight-speed automatic, AWD
Diesel
•D200 – 146kW, 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, 430Nm of torque at 1,750-2,500rpm, eight-speed automatic, AWD
•D300 – 221kW, 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel, 650Nm of torque at 1,500-2,500rpm, eight-speed automatic, AWD