JLR says its first fully electric Range Rover is attracting a new audience to the brand, with 70% of 80,000 expressions of interest coming from people who do not currently own a Range Rover.
The new Range Rover Electric could provide JLR retailers with a significant customer acquisition opportunity, according to Range Rover managing director Martin Limpert.
Speaking ahead of the model’s launch, Limpert said 70% of the 80,000 expressions of interest received so far came from customers new to the Range Rover brand, with the remaining 30% existing customers.
He said the figures demonstrated that there was an audience that had previously been interested in Range Rover but had been waiting for an electric model.
“It’s a new opportunity for us,” Limpert told AM, adding that the company’s existing customer base remained highly loyal, particularly in the UK and US.
Ensure you always receive AM insights. Make us a preferred source of news on Google
Range Rover Electric price, range and charging
The first electric Range Rover has now been officially unveiled, with UK pricing starting at £154,070. It is being built at JLR’s Solihull plant and represents the brand’s first fully electric production model.
It uses a 118.5kWh battery and twin electric motors producing up to 550PS and 850Nm of torque. The model can accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds and has a quoted WLTP range of up to 372 miles.
An 800-volt electrical architecture enables DC rapid charging from 10-80% in around 22 minutes, while JLR says the vehicle retains the off-road capability expected of a Range Rover.
The car has a maximum towing capacity of 2,500kg and a 900mm wading depth.
Dealers must sell luxury, not just lower running costs
For dealers, however, Limpert believes the sales proposition needs to go beyond the traditional electric vehicle arguments around running costs and tax.
“In a luxury world, it’s about explaining people why this makes Range Rover even more elevated than Range Rover already was before,” he said.
He believes the EV’s refinement, quietness and effortless performance will be particularly important in persuading existing customers who may initially be reluctant to move away from petrol power.
JLR has invested heavily in preparing its dealer network for those conversations.
Around 900 dealer representatives received intensive training covering the vehicle, technology, charging, payments, servicing and diagnostics. Those representatives will now take that knowledge back into their respective markets.
JLR plans controlled supply to protect residual values
Residual values will also be closely watched as the electric model enters the market.
Limpert said JLR would operate a “pull-driven” business model rather than pushing unwanted EV volume into the market.
The ability to build different powertrains on the same production line at Solihull means supply can be adjusted according to demand, which he believes will help protect Range Rover residual values.
The model will come with an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty. JLR is also developing digital twins of individual batteries to monitor their health and potentially identify issues before they become failures.
More details on the Range Rover Electric will be available when the car officially launches in October.