2025 Range Rover Electric shown hot-weather testing

Land Rover has swapped the frozen north for the baking east for the next chapter of the 2025 Range Rover Electric’s ongoing development, having just the 50-degree (Celsius) heat and 90 per cent humidity of the United Arab Emirates.

Looking nearly identical to the current combustion-powered model, the new Range Rover Electric looks will come with a more enclosed upper front grille, new copper-coloured trim and EV-branded centre caps for the alloy wheels.

The battery-powered Rangie crested the famous 90-metre-tall Big Red sand dune five times as part of its testing regime to ensure its new torque management system can expertly shuffle torque between each wheel, replicating the firm’s ABS-driven Terrain Response tech.

Claimed to divert power to each individual wheel, the all-electric Range Rover can react to changing surfaces below in a single millisecond – a fraction of the 100 milliseconds it takes for other Land Rovers.

Another challenge of the scorching temperatures for the new EV was keeping the cabin cool while being able to optimise the battery performance at all times.

The testing also focused on battery durability and thermal derating in extreme conditions as well as how the underbody stood up against the constant sand blasting and rock strikes.

Based on the same Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform as the current petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid Range Rovers, the luxury SUV brand has yet to announce how powerful the new EV is, instead promising it will “deliver performance comparable to a flagship V8”.

Expect a power output of around 500kW with epic levels of torque for a sub-five-second 0-100km/h dash.

Land Rover has already announced the Range Rover Electric will come with an 800-volt electrical architecture that should allow for fast DC charging of between 270-350kW.

With a battery size of around 100kWh or more, expect a 20-80 per cent top up in around 25 minutes.

“Our tests have shown that in this climate, repeatedly driving the equivalent of 100 metres uphill on fine sand, Range Rover Electric matches the performance of its ICE equivalents; in some instances, even surpassing them,” engineering boss Thomas Muller said.

“We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever. The ingredients that underpin the success of Range Rover are unchanged – now with zero emissions.”

When it arrives, expect the new Range Rover EV to be capable of wading the same 850mm as the current Defender.

Full details and pricing will be released following its official reveal next year, but Land Rover has confirmed that the order book is now open for the 2025 Range Rover Electric.