Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid launch in India announced

At the national launch of the Land Rover Defender in October, Jaguar Land Rover India’s President and Managing Director, Rohit Suri, confirmed the launch of the Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV for early next year. The I-Pace’s India launch is planned within the first three months of next year, he said.

Talking further about electric and hybrid vehicles, Mr. Suri said the brand plans to bring the Land Rover Defender Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) to the country as well. Today JLR confirmed the launch of the Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid in the country and opened its bookings.

Land Rover Defender PHEV charging
It takes 2 hours to charge the Land Rover Defender Hybrid’s 19.2 kWh battery from 0-80 per cent, or 30 minutes using DC fast charging.

Aside from the Defender, Land Rover offers a plug-in hybrid variant on all its products save for the Discovery. Based on customer demand, the company could expand its PHEV range in India as well. The Evoque and Discovery Sport Mild Hybrid (MHEV) variants are already sold in India.

Coming back to the Defender Hybrid, the variant is offered in a single P400e trim. It uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor to develop 404 PS, and a pure electric range of 43 km in Europe’s WLTP. The all electric range can be used during off-roading using High and Low range modes.

The Land Rover Defender Hybrid is announced only for the larger, 110 body variant, and the 3-door Defender is solely available with petrol or diesel power. A 19.2 kWh lithium-ion battery can be charged using a 7 kW AC wall box or DC fast charging. A 0-80 per cent charge takes 2 hours with the former and 30 minutes with the latter.

Land Rover Defender PHEV charging time
The Defender PHEV has a pure electric range of 43 km, and a combined efficiency of 30.3 km/l as per the company.

The plug-in hybrid electric SUV can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and achieve a top speed of 209 km/h. Its fuel consumption rating in Europe’s WLTP is 25.64-30.30 km/l. JLR makes the plug-in hybrid Defender exclusively in the 5-door ‘110’ version and five- and six-seat seating layouts.

JLR has partnered with Tata Power for end-to-end charging solutions for its PHEVs and BEVs in India. The energy solutions company will provide the automaker with a range of AC and DC chargers, with capacities ranging from 7 kW to 50 kW. It will install the chargers at the customer’s residence and/or office and also at JLR’s retail outlets.

The Land Rover Defender Plug-in Hybrid is available in India in multiple variants: SE, HSE, X-Dynamic HSE and X. The company plans to start deliveries between March and May 2021, and so, expect the price announcement to take place in early 2021.

The Defender range was launched in India this October with prices starting at INR 73.98 lakhs for the Defender 90 (3-door) and INR 79.94 lakhs for the Defender 110 (5-door). The PHEV would be priced over and above the petrol variant.

The Land Rover Defender Hybrid would target Indian buyers who are not convinced entirely about the practicality of an electric car. The PHEV would then become a bridge to their first pure electric car as they get to experience an EV without the risk of range anxiety or dependence on the country’s charging infrastructure.