New Range Rover EV and Jaguar XJ EV delayed by Covid-19

The idea of a fully electric Range Rover might seem slightly implausible, but then so does Tesla’s Cybertruck at first glance, and apparently such a vehicle is coming, along with an electric Jaguar XJ.

Autocar has reported that the XJ EV and the Range Rover EV are definitely on the way, but both have been delayed by the Covid 19 pandemic.

According to the transcript of an investor call, JLR’s chief financial officer Adrian Mardell announced that the two EVs will break cover in October and November, but they were originally pencilled in for unveilings in August and September.

The uncertainty around the pandemic has caused spending cuts and freezes a JLR, and that, in turn, has caused the delay.

The two new cars will arrive sitting on JLR’s new MLA architecture and will share plenty of parts. The Range Rover project, in particular, is top secret and no drawings or images have leaked out as yet, but it is expected to sit slightly lower than the lovely Range Rover Velar, and should be of a similar length.

Jaguar is keen to take on Tesla, again – it has already tried with the I-Pace, which is selling well, at least outside of Australia – and its flagship XJ saloon will also be fully electrified. 

Smaller electric Jaguars, to take on the all-conquering Model 3, are also on the way, with a replacement for the XE saloon also retain to be a BEV.

As JLR’s director of engineering Nick Rogers has said: “A small electric Jag would be great – we need to think about that.

“That’s a really cool space that ideally we want to be in, and ideally our customers want us to be in  – and it’s extremely relevant at this time.”