New Range Rover Electric images emerge as it gets tested in the Arabian desert

The Range Rover has always been synonymous with luxury and off-road capability. Now, the iconic SUV is going electric, and it's proving its mettle in one of the most challenging environments on Earth: the Arabian desert.

Prototypes of the Range Rover Electric are currently undergoing rigorous testing in the United Arab Emirates. The temperatures in the desert can soar above 50°C (122°F), and this extreme heat puts a significant strain on electric vehicles, as they need to cool both the cabin and the battery simultaneously.

Range Rover has developed an entirely new thermal management system that is being put to the test in these unforgiving conditions. The system is designed to keep the battery and powertrain within their ideal operating temperature range, even during demanding desert driving.

Range Rover has developed a special traction control system that works in conjunction with the thermal management system to deliver consistent power to the wheels. In tests, the Range Rover Electric has proven itself capable of repeatedly climbing steep sand dunes without any loss of performance.

"Our tests have shown that in this climate, repeatedly driving the equivalent of 100 meters uphill on fine sand, Range Rover Electric matches the performance of its ICE equivalents, in some instances, even surpassing them – thanks to the introduction of these new features," says Thomas Müller, Executive Director of Product Engineering for Range Rover.

The Range Rover Electric also benefits from a new Intelligent Torque Management system that can react to wheel slip in as little as 1 millisecond, compared to around 100 milliseconds for traditional systems. This lightning-fast response improves traction and control on loose surfaces like sand. The test vehicles successfully completed the "Big Red" challenge in the Al Badayer desert of Sharjah. This involved climbing a 91-meter sand dune five times in a row without any drop in performance.

The Range Rover Electric is expected to go on sale in 2025, and it promises to be a true luxury SUV that can handle any terrain, from city streets to desert dunes.

Source