85mpg from a Range Rover? Impossible, I hear you cry. Not so, Land Rover has revealed its first 4WD plug-in diesel hybrid which can do just that - delivering astronomical fuel economy and CO2 emissions which make a Polo BlueMotion look like a Hummer H2.
The new Range_e is based on a Range Rover Sport and uses a 242bhp 3.0-litre TDV6 engine mated to a 93bhp electric motor, powered by a lithium-ion battery. Land Rover claims that the electric motor can power the car on its own for a range of 20 miles - enough for short commutes around town - with the diesel engine only kicking in on longer journeys, keeping emissions low. The Range_e will allegedly be able to cover 690 miles between fuel stops. A full recharge of the lithium-ion battery will take around 4 hours from a conventional household 240V socket.
The Range_e decides the most efficient way to deliver the power - by diesel, electric or both - and a regenerative braking system recovers some of the heat energy lost during braking.
Land Rover intends to put the Range_e into production some time during 2013 and has targeted a 25% reduction on CO2 emissions across its range by 2012.
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