2011 Geneva Auto Show: Land Rover Range_e Plug-in Hybrid

By Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield

Contributing Writer BIO

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield is a self-confessed petrol head. She grew up in a carless family but was able at a very early age to name cars passing her on... More

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Land Rover Range_e diesel plug-in hybrid

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Love them or hate them the veritable Land Rover isn’t exactly the most fuel efficient vehicle on the planet.  But at the upcoming 2011 Geneva Motor Show LandRover will be unveiling a concept development vehicle that it hopes will make the brand a little more environmentally conscious. 

Dubbed the Range_e, the plug-in hybrid is based on the 2011 Range Rover Sport and features a 3.0 liter TDV6 diesel combined with a plug-in parallel electric drivetrain.  

Land Rover claims the Range_e will have an all electric range of just 20 miles, making it suitable for round-town use but requiring the use of its internal combustion engine for longer trips. 

The Range_e will feature four-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, with a combined electric/diesel range of 690 miles.

Land Rover

The Range_e has been in development for some time, but could its appearance in Geneva mark the start of a production plug-in hybrid for the luxury and go-anywhere automaker? 

The Land Rover brand begun over 60 years ago when Maurice Wilks, a British auto designer working for the Rover Motor Company came up with the idea of producing a light agricultural or utility vehicle similar in style to the Willys Jeep used in the Second World War. 

Since then, Land Rover has become synonymous with rugged off-road capable vehicles and later, its brand of luxury Range Rovers. 

Nowadays, the Range Rover is more well known as the transportation choice for British celebrities and sports stars. 

Farm vehicle to plug-in hybrid is a long way to travel, but thinking about Land Rovers’ roots has got us wondering: Just how long will it be before we see an all-electric plug-in agricultural vehicle?