2027 Range Rover EV: Hands-On in the Arctic

• This is the first all-electric Range Rover.
• The Range Rover EV is expected to go on sale in 2026, priced from around $170,000.
• Rivals include the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Maybach EQS.

It’s a Range Rover, but electric

At first glance, the electric Range Rover is almost indistinguishable from the more familiar gas-powered alternative. This is deliberate. Car shoppers will be offered the same vehicle but with different means of propulsion — gas, plug-in hybrid or fully electric. Long-wheelbase versions will also be offered for more interior space and you'll be able to specify a third row of seats.

The philosophy of the car is also familiar. Unlike some of the startup EV brands, Range Rover has resisted the temptation to imbue its EV with ludicrous performance. Matt Becker, Jaguar Land Rover’s vehicle engineering director, is my chauffeur for a few laps of an ice circuit cut into a frozen lake and talks about “effortless progression.” 

It’s a play on Rolls-Royce's old dictum of “ample performance.” What he means is that the Range Rover EV is designed to be fast enough to feel luxurious, while being easy to drive. “Range Rover drivers don’t want to be bothered by things, so we don’t want to engineer a vehicle that’s too reactive or too aggressive,” he said. 

This is borne out both by the stats and my subjective impressions from the passenger seat. There are two electric motors — one at the front and one at the rear — delivering all-wheel drive. The Range Rover produces 542 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, which is not exceptional in EV terms but will still deliver a decent turn of pace. 

The battery has 117 kWh of capacity, which is also competitive rather than exceptional. Land Rover is targeting over 300 miles of range on a single charge, something we’ll seek to verify on the Edmunds EV Range Test. A lot of time and money has been spent ensuring that the battery can deliver decent range even in cold conditions, recognizing that many Range Rovers live in the snowbelt. 

Tuned for on- and off-road

A standard air suspension allows the Range Rover to be raised or lowered to ease access or cross rough terrain. The days are surely gone when Range Rovers were a popular choice for farmers, but it’s still been optimized for off-road use. The engineers are adamant that the instantaneous pull of the electric motors, coupled with the latest electronics, give this SUV a new level of all-terrain capability. 

“You have to imagine that many of our customers will drive their car to ski resorts,” Becker said. “We have to tune our systems to give them the most support to accomplish what they want. That’s what they’ve come to expect from us.” 

Fine-tuning the vehicle’s electronic stability systems is a big part of why the engineers spend so much time in the frozen north. A ride on a snowy Swedish track suggests the Range Rover EV should have more than enough capability for most customers' needs, and there’s something undeniably luxurious about off-roading in near silence. 

The EV has also been tuned for so-called “one-pedal driving,” both on- and off-road. Lifting off the throttle slows the vehicle, even to a stop, as it tries to recoup energy to recharge the battery. It should make the Range Rover a relaxing car to drive. 

The rest of the vehicle is familiar Range Rover fare, which is no bad thing. It’s moved progressively upmarket over the past 55 years, and its standout minimalist design continues to seduce affluent buyers. 

Final thoughts

The Range Rover lineup starts at $110,000, so at $170,000 the electric version will undeniably be an expensive choice, even before the impact of tariffs (all versions are built in the United Kingdom). A Range Rover is a great long-distance vehicle, but even the company’s own executives accept that the appeal of the electric version will be impacted by the charging infrastructure in each state. It’s likely that it will be bought first by existing Range Rover customers in more urban areas, who already own several vehicles and charge at home.

On first acquaintance, it’s clear that this is a Range Rover first and an EV second. It won’t set records for straight-line performance, or electric range, but its characteristics should enhance the calm serenity of the Range Rover driving experience and broaden its appeal. I look forward to testing it soon in sunnier climes.