JLR Korea (CEO Robin Colgan) announced that the Range Rover Electric prototype has successfully completed its second test season and development process in the sub-zero environment of the Arctic Circle on the 19th. It is an electric luxury SUV that has easily overcome extreme cold weather testing.

This winter test, conducted in the ice lakes and snow-covered areas of Åreplog in Sweden, verified the performance of the Range Rover Electric's thermal management system in extreme environments through a total of 72,000 km (about 45,000 miles) of accumulated driving. In particular, driving on ice lakes played an important role in evaluating driving dynamics performance, including single pedal driving functionality and the convertible twin-chamber air suspension.

One of the key tasks in this development phase was to validate the performance of the Range Rover Electric's new thermal management technology, ThermAssistTM. This system recovers residual heat to reduce heating energy consumption by up to 40% and keep the propulsion system and cabin warm even at minus 10 degrees.

This advanced thermal management technology is designed to help the Range Rover Electric maintain optimal driving range even in extreme low temperatures and minimize charging performance degradation to ensure reliable charging at all times. Thanks to this, the interior remains warm and comfortable even in very cold environments.

Thomas Müller, JLR's senior director of product engineering, said, "Thorough validation conducted in extreme and unpredictable environments like Åreplog is crucial for securing the Range Rover Electric's reliability and durability in real-world driving conditions. In this second Arctic Circle test, ThermAssistTM technology demonstrated performance beyond expectations, playing a significant role in intelligently optimizing driving range while reliably maintaining charging speed."

The 800V high-voltage battery installed in the Range Rover Electric is the first battery designed and manufactured in-house by JLR, optimizing energy density, driving range, and charging speed. The battery, composed of 117 kWh made up of 344 prism cells, implements a cell-to-pack structure to achieve top-level performance, while continuing the Range Rover's characteristic quiet and smooth driving feel in electric vehicles.

The core values of the Range Rover, including off-road driving performance and luxurious, quiet handling, are realized in the electric drive system as well through advanced technologies like single pedal driving and the convertible twin-chamber air suspension.

Combining comfort and powerful driving performance, the Range Rover Electric has evolved single pedal driving technology to a new level. Through its regenerative braking system, it slows the vehicle while efficiently recovering power to the battery and works intricately with the automatic terrain response system. The single pedal driving function allows the vehicle to come to a complete stop simply by lifting the foot off the accelerator pedal and activates the hill hold function, helping the driver to start again without pressing the brake at all. In particular, tests on 28-degree slopes and 17-degree slopes with uneven traction in Arctic test conditions have proven differentiated driving performance even on extreme terrains.

Considering the electric vehicle's unique weight distribution, the improved convertible twin-chamber air suspension precisely controls the body movement and provides the characteristic stable driving feel of the Range Rover.

Matt Becker, JLR's director of vehicle engineering, noted, "Due to the driving characteristics of the Range Rover, superior performance and sophistication must be naturally combined. Achieving these two without hindering different performances in an electric vehicle was a very challenging task. We were able to maintain the familiar driving sensation of the Range Rover in the electrification model by increasing body torsional rigidity and improving driving responsiveness. We succeeded in merging the core elements of the brand with new advanced technologies."

Through the ice track driving in the Arctic Circle, it has been demonstrated that the Range Rover Electric's all-wheel drive technology can showcase excellent performance in all terrains. Based on more precise torque control than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles, the Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) technology distributes rear torque from 100% to 0%, preventing loss of traction. Additionally, it works in conjunction with the integrated traction management system to maintain traction stability, controlling motor speed within 50 milliseconds and managing slip up to 100 times faster than conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.

The Range Rover Electric prototype that has completed its second season in Åreplog is expected to continue rigorous testing and development programs ahead of customer reservations.

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