Land Rover Adds PHEV Power to Evoque and Discovery Sport

Land Rover has officially joined the PHEV wagon. The Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport will now be available as plug-in hybrids.

Both models will bear the name P300e. A 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder will power both the quirky crossover and the junior Discovery at their core. The engine itself makes just 197 hp but combined with the motor at the rear axle and a 15 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the output jumps to 304 hp, backed by 398 lb-ft of torque. Power flows through an eight-speed automatic transmission in contrast to the eight-speed unit used on most other models. According to Land Rover, it is not only lighter than the other gearbox but much smoother as well.

According to Land Rover the Evoque and the Discovery Sport return mileage ratings of 201 and 175 mpg-equivalent respectively. The British brand also claims all-electric ranges of 41 and 38 miles, respectively, while the CO2 emissions stand at 32 g/km.

The pair uses the company’s new Premium Transverse Architecture, which was specifically developed with hybrids in mind. The 15 kWh battery pack can charge up to 80 percent from empty in just half an hour using a 32 KW DC charger. If you use a 7 kW AC charger, the figure jumps to 84 minutes. Using a standard wall socket will require over six hours of charging time. The batteries lie under the rear seats and according to Land Rover, “a 6mm-thick steel undertray protects the battery without compromising the vehicles’ hallmark all-terrain capability.”

In terms of performance, the Evoque can do the 0–60 mph sprint in 6.1 seconds while the Disco is just a tenth slower than the smaller crossover. The pair can also go up to 84 mph in pure electric mode.

The Evoque and Discover Sport P300e will be available in the S, SE and HSE versions, at least for now, in the UK. So far there’s no word on North American availability, but we can expect the cars to arrive by late next year, especially given the current global climate. Expect prices to start from $45,000 for the Evoque and around $40,000 for the Discovery Sport.