Range Rover Electric undergoes hardcore testing

PROTOTYPES of the forthcoming Range Rover Electric are being tested at some of the world’s most challenging test locations and at extremes of temperatures, from -40°C in the Arctic Circle, to +50°C in the searing deserts of the Middle East. The first tests are focusing on the capability of the battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU).

In a first for the Range Rover, a new traction control system is said to deliver exceptional levels of performance on icy or low-grip surfaces. Rather than a traditional traction control set-up based solely within the ABS unit, the Range Rover Electric distributes the wheelslip management task directly to each individual electric drive control unit (four of them, one for each wheel), reducing the torque reaction time per wheel from around 100 milliseconds, to as little as one millisecond.

The software, which has been developed in-house by JLR, enables precise EDU speed control for accurate management of wheel slip, reducing the need for ABS intervention. Working together with the stability control and chassis systems, JLR claims it provides a more refined drive while exceeding the Range Rover’s already renowned performance on low-grip surfaces.