Kona Electric upgrade available from late 2019 The new Kona will enable AC charging at up to 11 kW Hyundai has announced an upgrade of the Kona Electric SUV, which will be available in Europe by the end of this year. The new model features higher power charging capabilities and an improved navigation system. The most important innovation is a three-phase on-board charger which will enable AC charging at up to 11 kW. This is in addition to the rapid DC charging option which comes as standard. The faster AC charging capacity will reduce charging times on public 3-phase AC chargers and some home-based units. The Kona Electric also has a new optional navigation system with a 10.25-inch centre display which incorporates the eCall safety feature. The charging control system, which can be accessed via the Blue Link app, also provides information on charging times and expected range and can be pre-programmed to charge the Kona at specified times. The Korean company offers the vehicle with two different battery sizes, 39 kWh and 64 kWh, and a number of assistant systems. Only launched in 2018, the Kona Electric has already received a number of plaudits including the NGC Car of the Year 2018. As commented by NGC on making the award: “With its 279 mile range, the Hyundai Kona Electric represents outstanding value for money when compared with rival offerings. As the first to bring a long-distance EV to mass-market customers – and with such a capable package – Hyundai’s Kona Electric is NGC’s Car of the Year 2018.” In addition to the Kona Electric, Hyundai offers a number of low emission power-trains including the IONIQ trio of models (Hybrid, Plug-in, Electric), 48-Volt hybrid versions of Tucson and the fuel cell-powered NEXO. This portfolio makes Hyundai an important player in electrified vehicles, offering consumers an wide choice of low-emission to zero-emission vehicles. “With emission-free, connected vehicles such as the Kona Electric, Hyundai is not only one of the pioneers for clean mobility, but is also striving constantly to meet the demands of the growing number of consumers for more eco-friendly cars,” says Thomas A. Schmid, Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe.
Origin: Kona Electric upgrade available from late 2019
electric
First patents surface for Dyson electric car planned for 2021
Patent drawings for what could be Dysons upcoming electric vehicleDyson Dyson’s electric car may have a long wheelbase, an interior cabin with reclining seats and an aerodynamic design, according to patents recently awarded to the company. The patents, filed about 18 months ago and made public Wednesday, are the first glimpse of the car being built by the U.K.-based company known for pricey vacuums, hair dryers and air purifiers. In an email to staff, founder James Dyson said the patents don’t reveal what our vehicle will really look like or give any specifics around what it will do, but they do provide a glimpse of some of the inventive steps the company is weighing. The patents also indicate Dyson is mulling a vehicle with larger wheels to improve efficiency. Dyson’s email also hinted at a car with a low center of gravity to improve handling. The company posted a new automotive page to its website detailing its history in the automotive world and how its experience working on motors could contribute to a car. Dyson joins a growing list of technology companies getting into the car business. Tesla has pioneered electric vehicles, Alphabet’s Waymo unit leads in self-driving technology, while Apple has had an automotive project since about 2016. Patent drawings for what could be Dyson’s upcoming electric vehicle Dyson Dyson first disclosed plans to build an electric car in 2017, saying it would invest 2 billion pounds (US$2.6 billion) on the vehicle and accompanying batteries. Last year, the company said it would build a facility in Singapore to develop the car it hopes to introduce by 2021. In his email to staff, Dyson said that testing of the car would ramp up next month and that more than 500 people are working on the
Origin: First patents surface for Dyson electric car planned for 2021
MG ZS EV electric SUV to make UK debut this month
MG’s first ever electric car, the ZS EV, will be on display for the first time in the UK this month ahead of sales beginning in September. The brand will use the London motor show, which opens its doors on 16 May, as the venue for the model’s debut. The brand also claims it has had 800 “expressions of interest” from buyers, the most it’s ever had in Britain. The Kia Soul EV rival was first revealed at the Guangzhou motor show in China last year, and will be sold alongside the existing petrol versions of the ZS. While specifications have yet to be confirmed, the UK-bound ZS EV is expected to use the same front-mounted 148bhp electric motor as the model sold in China. The car’s lithium ion battery will reportedly be good for a 268-mile range on the old NEDC test cycle, and MG says it can achieve an 80% charge in as little as 30 minutes. As a guide, the WLTP range of the Nissan Leaf is 28.5% lower than its NEDC range, and the same reduction would put the ZS EV at 192 miles. “We’re delighted to be entering the electric car market at such an exciting time,” said Daniel Gregorious, MG’s head of sales and marketing. “With MG’s trademark value-for-money approach, we’re confident that we can help more and more new car buyers to go electric.” UK sales weren’t confirmed at the ZS EV’s global debut last year, but they were considered likely as part of the slow but steady growth of the MG brand worldwide and its transition to being a maker of SUVs. MG is enjoying sales success in China, under the ownership of SAIC. Last year, it sold 134,786 cars, a significant increase over the 80,389 sold in 2016. That success accelerated in 2018; MG had already surpassed its 2017 total by the end of August, having sold 179,109 cars. China is the world’s largest market for electric cars, and ranges in excess of 250 miles are now the norm there, rather than the exception. The ZS EV first made its debut alongside the new HS SUV, which is understood to be lined up to replace the GS in MG’s UK range later this
Origin: MG ZS EV electric SUV to make UK debut this month
James Dyson: why we’re building an electric car
James Dyson came up with his electric car idea in the 1990s, while experimenting with equipment to collect diesel particulates by centrifugal action. He knew exhaust pollution was harmful, but his attempts to sell clean-up technology were overtaken by official directives suggesting diesels were “clean and green”. Speaking here from his Singapore base, where his cars will be made from 2021, he discusses the car’s design. The latest on Dyson’s electric car What is your motivation for making an electric car? Nobody was interested in our original exhaust clean-up idea, but we had a bright team developing high-speed electric motors for other Dyson products, we were researching air purification, we had our own aerodynamicists and we were developing solid state batteries. Put those things together and you have the main elements of an electric car. What’s your view of the sales potential of electric cars? Seems to me the industry, and industry commentators, are under-egging the likely growth of the market. People will buy them for the right reasons, because they don’t want to cause pollution. It’s nothing to do with what the industry thinks. The public will decide it wants electric cars. Your new car looks big and expensive. Where will your car sit in the firmament? Is it a premium product? I guess it is. That’s how we generally operate. We’ll make several different versions — different car types, not longer or shorter models. We’re not announcing anything about price yet, but we’re not a mass producer yet. When you go into production for the first time you can’t be the cheapest. We’ll do our best with that but we’ll be making a big car with a lot of innovation in it, so it won’t be cheap. What led you to your car’s unique proportions? It’s all about efficiency. The high ground clearance and low roof cut the car’s frontal area, which is one of the keys to efficiency. We wanted a car with good ground clearance, and you get that with big wheels. They have low rolling resistance, they’re better in snow and the wet, you can have bigger brakes but you still get a big footprint. Your patents refer to hydrogen and hybrid power as well as battery propulsion. Will this car be battery only? And will it use solid state batteries? Yes, it will be battery-powered. As for battery type, we’re not revealing that yet. But at the moment we’re researching two different types of solid state battery in four locations — UK, USA, Japan and Singapore. How important is a long battery range? I believe the public wants electric cars to go as far as possible. You’ve seen our plans; the car has a big battery pack. But aerodynamics and frontal area are also key to having a good range. People don’t want to be filling their cars with electricity to find they’re inefficient. Having efficient motors means that as well as needing less electricity to propel yourself, you make regeneration more effective. You seem very interested in comfort, and your car’s ground clearance and big wheels suggest lots of wheel travel. Will you use air suspension, adjustable ride height and ride rates? Comfort is very important to us, and something we definitely want to deliver. It’s another thing you get from big wheels. The things you mention are on offer to us. I don’t want to reveal what we’re doing, but suspension is a very important area. Pitch is a good example: if you’ve got a long wheelbase it becomes more controllable. We’re having fun with all of this. It’s an interesting area. You’ve referred a lot to keeping you car’s weight down. I presume you won’t be making this car from steel? No, we’re not up at those sort of production numbers. But we also want to be able to produce in reasonable volume. We don’t think carbon fibre ready is yet ready for our sort of operation. It’s an interesting experiment, and okay for very small volume specialist cars. That just leaves one thing, really. I don’t think we have to be too revolutionary about the way we do the chassis. I can confirm the car will have an aluminium body, but that’s as much as I want to say. What’s your weight target? Everyone knows a battery is heavy, much heavier than an internal combustion engine. But if you do it our way you get a very low centre of gravity, much lower than an internal combustion car. There is certainly a weight penalty with batteries, but you mitigate it as much as you can, and in any case, and it helps you with regeneration. Once this car is on sale, could you imagine launching cheaper models to attract more people? I think that’s going to depend a lot on the progress of technology. If we’re successful with solid state batteries, that could be a possible moment… When will you reveal more about your car? When we launch it. We’re only talking about it now because our patents are going public. We don’t usually talk about products until we launch them. We’re a private company, getting on with our own
Origin: James Dyson: why we’re building an electric car
Volkswagen’s sub-£18,000 electric car set for Frankfurt reveal
Volkswagen is set to unveil the concept version of its entry-level electric ID ‘people’s car’ at this year’s Frankfurt motor show. The firm will use the event to showcase the production version of the ID 3, its first bespoke electric car on its new MEB architecture. But the firm will also showcase a new ID concept there. Volkswagen confirmed the nomenclature for its ID range at the pre-booking launch of the ID 3, which sales boss Jurgen Stackmann noting that calling the first Golf-sized model the 3 allowed for the range to be expanded with both smaller and larger models. Speaking about the prospect of entry-level ID models, Stackmann said: “The commitment is that we start in the compact class, and the cars coming next are compact class cars. Frankfurt will be the reveal of the ID 3, and an idea of what’s coming next – and that’s clearly compact, because that’s what Volkswagen does.” With the Golf-sized model taking the ID 3 tag, the Polo-sized entry level car will be called the ID 1, leaving room for an ID 2 compact crossover SUV. Stackmann noted that the larger ID models, based on the already seen Crozz, Buzz, Vizzion and Roomzz concepts, would be the next cars to reach production, but emphasised the firm’s commitment to making genuinely affordable electric cars. “In the long term we clearly need to scale down and be more aggressive on prices,” said Stackmann. “That will be a scale of industrialisation, and it will take some time until we bring it into classes.” Autocar first reported in February that Volkswagen bosses had confirmed that the brand would launch a mass-market, affordable electric car costing under £18,000. Said to be part of a modern-day ‘people’s car’ project, the compact crossover utility vehicle was confirmed by product strategy head Michael Jost. It will arrive by 2023, or 2024 “at the latest”. The compact five-seater will have a raised ride height and exterior dimensions similar to the existing combustion-engined T-Roc, forming part of Volkswagen’s upcoming line-up of I.D. battery-powered models that will kick off with the launch of the ID 3 hatchback in 2020. Previously, Volkswagen chairman Herbert Diess indicated the cost could be as low as €20,000, or just £17,400 in the UK. Jost also confirmed that price point, while saying “we build cool electric cars that are fun to drive, beautifully designed and fully networked”. The keen pricing for what will be the fifth I.D. model after the ID 3 and production versions of the Crozz, Buzz and Vizzion concepts is a crucial component in a broader plan at Volkswagen to create a contemporary, new electric-powered people’s car in a move aimed at mirroring the success of the original Beetle and its indirect successor – the Golf. Diess, the architect of Volkswagen’s electric car strategy, recently claimed engineers are working on a car conceived to be priced at half that of the Tesla Model 3 without naming the secret new electric-powered crossover, suggesting it would be on sale within four years. Autocar has been told the idea behind the new ID model is to create a car with classless design appeal, outstanding interior space within a compact footprint and the sort of affordability to allow it to appeal to a wide number of car buyers in all of Volkswagen’s existing markets. As with Volkswagen’s other ID models, it is based around the company’s new MEB (Modularen Electrik Baukasten – modular electric architecture) platform with a front-mounted electric motor together with a battery of sufficient capacity to provide a range well over the claimed 186 miles of today’s e-Golf. To keep the price down, it will likely be offered exclusively in front-wheel drive guise, with a series of connectivity options set to be offered as optional equipment. Together with the primary Volkswagen version, the new zero-emission crossover five-door has been conceived to sire similar models from Audi, Seat and Skoda. Production will take place at Volkswagen’s Emden manufacturing plant in Germany, a site which currently produces the Passat and Arteon, with capacity set to top 300,000 units a year. Insiders at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters suggest plans are to switch production of the next-generation Passat and Arteon to Skoda’s Kvasiny plant run in the Czech Republic, which currently produces the Superb, or possibly even a brand-new greenfield site in Bulgaria. The decision to use the Emden plant for the production of the junior ID models means Volkswagen will have installed capacity for well over 1 million electric vehicles by 2022, with its existing Zwickau and Hannover commercial vehicle plants in Germany, as well as joint venture factories operated with SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) in Shanghai and FAW (First Automobile Works) in Foshan, China accounting for the production of China-only models. At this stage, there is no indication whether the new entry-level ID model will be produced in other factories, though
Origin: Volkswagen’s sub-£18,000 electric car set for Frankfurt reveal
Volkswagen ID 3: pre-orders begin for electric hatch
Volkswagen has opened registrations for its ID 3 electric hatchback in Europe ahead of deliveries starting in mid-2020 – and has said the entry-level version will cost less than €30,000 (£25,500) in Germany. The first production car to launch using the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB electric architecture, the Golf-sized ID 3 will initially arrive in a special First edition. Limited to 30,000 vehicles, it will feature a WLTP-certified range of 261 miles. The ID 3 will be officially launched at this year’s Frankfurt motor show. Volkswagen has also confirmed the name of its first ID machine, which was simply known as the hatch – with the internal codename Neo – during development. Volkswagen says the ID 3 title is because three is the firm’s internal nomenclature for the compact A-segment, and because the new model represents the third major chapter in its history, after the Beetle and Golf. The title also “signals the potential for expansion” into bigger and smaller models in the future. Volkswagen sales boss Jürgen Stackmann said that the start of ID pre-booking ushered in “the third major chapter of strategic importance in the history of our brand, following the Beetle and the Golf”. He added: “With the ID 3, we are making the electric car fit for mass mobility.” Stackmann said that the ID 3 represented a “major milestone” for Volkswagen, adding: “The world is currently in a process of transformation. Volkswagen is not only part of, but is also shaping, this transformation. “We are pursuing a focused powertrain strategy. Volkswagen has opted consistently for the battery-electric drive system. This is currently the most efficient technology for reducing CO2 emissions and meeting the ambitious CO2 reduction targets. E-mobility will become our lead technology.” The ID range is understood to be planned to run from one to 10, with the numbers replacing the titles given to previously seen concepts: the ID Crozz SUV, Vizzion saloon, Buzz MPV and van and Roomzz luxury SUV. Autocar has also revealed the firm is working on an entry-level ‘people’s car’. The 261-mile battery utilised in the ID 3 First will be the middle of three battery sizes offered in the ID 3 range, which Volkswagen believes will be the most popular. The £25,500 entry-level version will offer a range of 205 miles, with the largest battery allowing for 342 miles. It is understood the three batteries will be 45, 58 and 77kWh respectively. The ID 3 will come with built-in fast-charging technology, allowing for a maximum speed of 100-125kW DC charging. The firm says a 30-minute charge at 100kW should provide 162 miles of range. Volkswagen says the ID 3 First edition will be priced at under €40,000 (£34,000) in Germany, with customers in the UK required to pay a £750 deposit. UK pricing details have yet to be confirmed, and the pre-booking will only be open for the 30,000 special editions, although those who secure a slot can cancel their order with a full refund. It is not yet known if the UK will be allocated a set number of those models, although it will be one of the “key” markets for the car, alongside Norway, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Customers who pre-book an ID 3 will be able to order their cars after it is launched at this year’s Frankfurt motor show in September. Those orders will become binding in April 2020, with customers able to cancel and obtain a full refund until then. The First edition will be offered in a choice of four colours and three versions, all featuring large wheel rims. There will also be three trim levels – First, First Plus and First Max – although only the Plus trim will be offered in the UK. This will feature “extensive” comfort features including voice control, a navigation system, exterior IQ lighting and a bi-colour exterior and interior design. In the markets where it is available, the range-topping Max trim includes a panoramic sunroof and augmented-reality head-up display. Volkswagen also said the ID 3 First edition will be offered with 2000kWh of free charging at public charging points using the firm’s We Charge app, on a European charging network. That includes charge points on the Ionity network, which is expanding into the UK. VW also has a deal with Tesco to install 600 rapid chargers at its supermarkets by 2020, although it is not yet confirmed if access to these would be part of the 2000kWh deal. The ID 3 is 4100mm long, 1800mm wide and 1530mm high, making it 155mm longer, 9mm wider and 77mm higher than the seventh-generation Golf, although the electric powertrain means that it is set to offer substantially more interior space. Stackmann added: “From the outside, the ID 3 will be as large as a Golf. In the interior, it will be as spacious as a medium-sized car.” ID 3 production run will start at Volkswagen’s Zwickau factory near the end of this year. The firm is aiming to deliver more than 100,000 examples in 2020, with 110,000 on average per year afterwards. That is part of VW’s goal
Origin: Volkswagen ID 3: pre-orders begin for electric hatch
Honda e confirmed as name for maker’s electric city car
Honda has confirmed that its upcoming electric city car wlll be called the Honda e when it goes on sale in Europe later this year. The model was first revealed as the Urban EV concept at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show. A near-production version was then shown at this year’s Geneva motor show and called the Honda e prototype. The car maker has now confirmed that name will stay for the production version. The firm believes the car’s retro design will give it an Apple-style appeal to customers. The protoype shown at Geneva motor show is “95% production ready”, according to the firm. It maintains the styling of the Urban EV Concept, albeit with the addition of an extra set of doors. While Honda has yet to reveal full technical details of the car, its designers told Autocar at the Geneva show that it would offer “more than” 98bhp and 221lb ft of torque. Honda said more than 15,000 people have already expressed interest in the machine in Europe. While pricing has yet to be set, Autocar understands the firm is aiming for a figure around £30,000. Project manager Kohei Hitomi said the machine had been the subject of an internal “battle” over whether to put it into production, with the positive reaction to the concept being a key factor in it gaining approval. The car is slightly shorter than a Jazz and around 100mm taller than a Mini. Honda has said it will likely have an official range of around 125 miles, with fast-charging capacity to reach 80% charge in 30 minutes. The e prototype is built on a new platform designed for A- and B-segment electric cars, with underfloor batteries produced by Panasonic that are similar to those used in the US market Accord plug-in hybrid. The rear-mounted electric motor drives the rear wheels, which employ torque vectoring to give a smoother response and improved handling in tight corners. Although the e prototype’s range is substantially lower than that offered by rival EVs such as the 282-mile Kia e-Niro or BMW i3, which offers 193 miles, Hitomi said it was necessary to keep the batteries small to fulfil its city-car role. “We believe the range is sufficient for this segment of car,” said Hitomi. “Some potential customers might not be satisfied, but when you think about bigger range and a bigger battery, it has drawbacks in terms of packaging. It’s a balance.” The e prototype features cameras instead of rear-view mirrors, which help improve aerodynamic efficiency. There are also flush door handles and the charging port is mounted centrally in the bonnet. The cockpit is dominated by two 12in touchscreens, built into a dashboard finished with a wood-effect trim. The seats – including a two-seat bench in the rear – are covered in polyester, which, as with the wood effect, is designed to make the interior feel like a living room. The e prototype will be built in Japan and go on sale in selected European markets in late 2019, with others following in 2020. It will also be sold in Japan. The firm has yet to set pricing. Hitomi said it is “important” the car is affordable but he added: “A low price is not always a guarantee of success. When you look at Apple products, they are not cheap, but everyone wants to have them because of their added value. We believe it is the same for the electric
Origin: Honda e confirmed as name for maker’s electric city car
Skoda electric models to stand out with unique lightstrip
Skoda’s forthcoming range of electric vehicles will retain a front grille but be distinguished from internal combustion-engined models by a bold, full-width lighting strip, according to company boss Bernhard Maier. The design was previewed by the Vision iV SUV shown at the Geneva motor show in March and will be retained for the production version due next year. That car will be Skoda’s first model built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric platform. Maier said the production design will feature a single LED light strip that links the headlights and splits the grille into upper and lower sections. “This is the new expressive crystalline design language,” said Maier. “Glass working has been a Czech specialism for centuries, so this is something that is authentic.” The lighting strip will be made of Plexiglass to save weight. Another changed styling feature of the Vision iV production car will be the adoption of a conventional grille. The concept featured a ‘phantom’ grille but, despite no longer being needed for engine cooling, the slatted grille will remain, with Maier citing feedback from customers who said they liked the design. The production Vision iV will also be sold with a choice of three battery packs and two motor configurations. This is in line with other VW Group electric cars being built on MEB, such as the forthcoming Volkswagen ID hatch. Battery packs of 49, 60 and 82kWh will be introduced over the vehicle’s life, with the biggest battery offering a 300-mile WLTP range. The model will launch with the 49kWh battery and one other, but which has yet to be decided. As standard, the Vision iV will be rear-wheel drive with a single motor, but higher-spec models will be offered with a front-mounted motor providing all-wheel drive. Maier says the two-motor version is “more agile” than the single-motor model. To keep costs down, the Vision iV won’t feature a reduction gearbox, which could increase top speed. “That’s why we limit it to 112mph. Not having a separate gearbox will be very good for the vehicle cost,” said Maier. Skoda boss Bernhard Maier on… Using the iV badge for electric cars “All our electric and electrified vehicles will get the suffix iV, including the Kodiaq and Superb plug-in hybrid. It is not easy to find the right label for new technology. There are already a lot of names used by the competition.” The final name for the Vision iV “The name is not quite clear. We are still working on that. We have some real interesting ones, which perfectly fit our overall nomenclature.” Launching 10 EVs by 2022 “Our basket is full of arrows. I hope all will hit the spot. We have a total of 30 new models by 2022. This is a truly amazing product offensive.” The possibility of a hot Kamiq vRS crossover “We haven’t decided. There could be an opportunity but we have to decide on the most important priority. As things stand, we cannot produce enough
Origin: Skoda electric models to stand out with unique lightstrip
VW launches online hub for upcoming electric I.D. cars
A camoflaged version of the VW I.D. HatchbackElektrowoz Volkswagen’s I.D. line of electric vehicles could be hitting the streets sooner than later. Starting May 8 at noon, London time, the company will begin taking pre-orders for its new I.D. Hatchback. To juice the process, VW’s U.K. arm launched a special online portal to welcome “registrations of interest” and to provide information on future members of the I.D. family. Alert readers will recall Wolfsburg has shown several vehicles designed to be part of its all-electric I.D. lineup. They include the curiously named Crozz, Buzz and Vizzion. At that rate, the company will quickly use up the world’s supply of Zs. The new I.D. Hatchback will be offered in a trio of flavours, ranging from an entry-level trim with about 330 km of driving range; all the way up to a fancy-pants 111-kWh model that can stretch its legs up to 550 km per charge. All versions will be powered by a rear-mounted electric motor cranking out approximately 168 horsepower. The company has indicated it will build future I.D. vehicles on a common skateboard platform, allowing them to drape the electric architecture with different clothing depending on market goals. Earlier today, a video of a lightly disguised I.D. Hatchback prototype briefly appeared online; screenshots from website Elektrowoz made sure images from the clip stayed around. Despite its overall shape being quite unlike anything in VW’s current catalog, there’s no mistaking it for anything other than a Volkswagen. The taillights are especially reminiscent of a Golf, while the round button of a VW badge stands out prominently between its headlamps. A camoflaged version of the VW I.D. Hatchback Elektrowoz What is presumably a flap covering its charging port appears on the car’s right-rear quarter panel in some images, but vanishes from that location in others. We’ll have to wait for an unveiling of the real thing to accurately determine details such as those. What is certain is that VW is jumping into the electric vehicle market in a big way. With entrants like these, competition for EV supremacy is going to a whole lot more
Origin: VW launches online hub for upcoming electric I.D. cars
No electric Range Rover Evoque planned, PHEV instead
An electric Range Rover Evoque won’t arrive to the line-up before 2025, as the brand focuses its efforts on hybrid technology in the mid-term. Jaguar Land Rover UK boss Rawdon Glover said that while “there will be a market for a small to medium-sized electric SUV”, it will not arrive before the next generation of its entry-level Range Rover. The second-generation Evoque launched earlier this year, seven years after the compact SUV was born, and thanks to a new platform, now accommodates mild hybrids as well as a plug-in hybrid. However, Autocar understands the platform can not accommodate a fully electric drivetrain, and so new architecture would need to be implemented for a third-generation model to house such a set-up. The PHEV, due in 12 months’ time, will be powered by a 197bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a 107bhp electric motor. Glover described the Evoque PHEV as “fleet game-changer” for Land Rover and predicts it will make up more than a third of UK Evoque sales when it arrives early next year. Land Rover believes plug-in hybrid technology is a sensible middle ground for the Evoque, opposed to a fully electric variant, having seen success with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrids launched in 2017. Within the M25, one in two of those models sold are plug-in hybrid. Broader electric plans for Land Rover are unconfirmed, but an electric version of the flagship Range Rover is expected in under five
Origin: No electric Range Rover Evoque planned, PHEV instead
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