Land Rover to enter in the Hybrid’s world

Within seven months Land Rover will make a major step in becoming more environmentally friendly.The maker will present this year a more advanced evolution of the Land-E concept from the last year Geneva Motor Show.The company employs specialist hybrid-electric technicians and previewed hybrid technology in the Land-E to move the system in a driveable prototype.

The hybrud system must be applicable to the entire Land Rover range including the Range Rover, and must produce a 30 per cent improvement in economy without compromising the car’s off-road abilities to be worth mass-producing.Other target that must be achieved is that it would also have to produce less than 150g/km of CO2 in a Freelander-sized vehicle.

The technology will centre around an integrated electric rear axle in order to achieve that.All four wheels will have to be powered by electricity alone in order to maintain Land Rover’s benchmark off-road capabilities.

The next-generation Range Rover will utilise a lighter, aluminium body to reduce CO2 emissions, and to offer a light chassis, because weight is a key factor.

The necessary increase in economy and reduction in CO2 emissions that Land Rover requires, could be achieved only with the use of lightweight body with the hybrid drivetrain. Using both aluminium and hybrid technology together would only be applicable in top-end models, because of the costs.