Following on from Land Rover's announcement that they intend to be fully electric by 2030, we thought we'd explore the full range of plug-in cars that they currently have available.
Although hybrid cars tend to come with higher list prices, we're actually noticing that a combination of improved residual values and a useful all-electric range mean that these variants can represent excellent value for money when it comes to your monthly running costs.
Could a plug-in hybrid make sense for you?
Range Rover Evoque P300e – Dramatic, confident, and sophisticated
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 34 miles
- List price – from £44,650
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 11%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
The most popular compact SUV hybrid in the marketplace just now, the Evoque has excelled in a class that seems to be going nowhere but up at present, as more families choose a higher riding style over traditional hatchbacks. With an official range of up to 34 miles between charges, it’ll take you further than many of its rivals in the utility. With the UK’s daily commute at around 23 miles, you could safely cover this trip on an all-electric range. Not that you’d be limited to this though – you’ll have the benefit of a 197 BHP petrol engine as well as its 108 BHP electric motor.
Like many hybrid models, despite a higher list price, the P300e is more efficient to run that its petrol and diesel equivalents, returning up to 143.1 MPG. In addition, a 11% BIK tax on this vehicle means it is a very viable company car alternative.
Have you considered the R-Dynamic model?
Not only a slightly sportier exterior chassis than the standard Evoque, the R Dynamic Exterior pack comes as standard on this version of the Evoque, offering an improved residual value with our funders, and means that the leasing costs are more favourable than the standard Evoque.
The R Dynamic S and R Dynamic SE standard trim comes with 12-way heated electric front seats in grained leather with a leather steering wheel, whilst the HSE model comes with 14-way quilted perforated Windsor leather interior.
Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e – Practical, Versatile, and Dynamic
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 34 miles
- List price – from £46,945
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 11%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
While the Evoque’s agility is perfectly suited for those looking for a crossover model, the new Discovery Sport slots nicely between the Evoque and the bigger Discovery. Despite being a heavier vehicle than the Evoque, the Discovery Sport hybrid also offers an all-electric range of up to 34 miles, and a BIK rate of 11% to go with it, meaning it is much more affordable as a company car than it once was.
I need a bit more space! How practical is this car?
The answer here, is that it is very practical. As is the case in the petrol and diesel Discovery Sport, there is excellent head and legroom for passengers in this car, but it’s worth noting that it doesn’t come with a 7 seat option, as the combustion engines do. If this isn’t essential for you, then the P300e should be more than capable of fulfilling the role of a family car with comfort.
Inside, there’s plenty of space for passengers in the front and rear seats. The car’s handy electronic handbrake means that there is extra storage space in the transmission tunnel, and elsewhere in the cabin you’ll find numerous cup-holders and five USB sockets – meaning the whole family can charge their devices at once!
The boot is square-shaped, and well thought-out. It is worth noting that while there is still considerable size, you will sacrifice a little space to make room for the battery in the Discovery Sport. That being said, the difference is minimal (981 X 1698 Litres in the petrol/diesel vs. 963 X 1574 Litres in the P300e). For comparison, that is still bigger than the likes of the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes GLC.
The rear seats fold out individually, and in a single movement by pulling on a strap, which makes them really easy to get into place. They lie completely flat to give you a level surface and come with no boot lip – ideal for those Ikea trips!
Range Rover Velar P400e – Elegant, Modern, and Refined
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 33 miles
- List price – from £64,290
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 11%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
Last year Land Rover debuted the plug-in hybrid powertrain on the Velar for the very first time, with the revised crossover SUV now going in to its second model year in early 2022.
Land Rover’s aim with the Velar was to highlight luxury with a reasonable degree of off-road capabilities, and so from a utility point of view it probably sits somewhere in-between a BMW X4 and X6, and a Mercedes GLC Coupe and GLE Coupe. This P400e comes with the same system as the Land Rover Defender plug-in hybrid, and combines a 300HP 2.0 litre petrol engine with a 143HP electric motor, producing a total of 404HP for users.
From an external perspective, there aren’t many changes to the previous Velar (bar some new paint colours and wheel designs). Instead, it seems that the focus from Land Rover has been improving the luxury cabin feel.
So, what’s new inside?
Land Rover upgraded the old Velar’s Touch Pro, and introduced the new Pivi Pro setup. The new and improved Pivi Pro infotainment system is a much slicker, more user friendly, and more intelligent interface than in previous Evoque models. The R Dynamic S offers a 10” dual high-definition Touchscreen, which offers increased flexibility for the user. For example, you can have your navigation system in the upper screen, and a media player on the lower screen, which is a really useful addition.
Upgrade to the R Dynamic SE and HSE, and you’ll get a 12.3" high-definition interactive Driver Display, where you can receive and project a vast amount of useful information in high resolution graphics, which really adds another layer of sophistication to the inner cabin of the Velar. In addition, these models come with an online Data Pack and a built-in SIM Card, meaning you have unlimited media streaming, online speech recognition and live software updates, so your navigation system should never get out-dated!
Range Rover Sport P400e – Aspirational, Refined, Capable
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 28 miles
- List price – from £72,915
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 19%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
Introduced back in 2018, the Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid is as desirable a luxury SUV as there is on the market just now. With lower emissions than ever and an all-electric range of c.26 miles, running costs should be dramatically cut for users. Despite its name, the Range Rover Sport doesn’t act like a sports car, but is still hugely enjoyable to drive (it comes with the same 404 HP of the Velar). With air suspension and All-Wheel Drive as standard, it also handles well in off-road situations.
From a practicality point of view, the size isn’t quite as vast, and if you are needing seven seats then you’ll need to look at larger competitors or even the regular Range Rover Sport, as this isn’t available on the P400e model.
The Range Rover Sport does, however, ease into life as a family car - the premium trim comes with plenty of practical elements included as standard, so those long journeys will be comfortable as well. If you often drive short distances, this hybrid makes a lot of sense for you, and the near-silent running at low speeds only adds to the luxurious feel of this model.
Compared with rivals in its utility, the P400e’s all-electric range betters the likes of the Volvo XC90 T8 and Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, but falls short of competing with the BMW X5 45e and Mercedes GLE 350de, which boast an electric range around the 60-mile mark.
There are a couple of P400e variants however which represent excellent value for money, and should be strongly considered if you are looking at this utility.
P+B’s Range Rover Sport pick – the HSE Dynamic Black Edition
If you are looking for a Range Rover Sport with fantastic value for money and a high level of specification as standard, the P400e HSE Dynamic Black Edition is definitely worth considering.
With the Exterior Black Pack, a fixed panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, and 21” gloss black alloy wheels all coming as standard, this model has a very strong residual value, and as such we are noticing that it stacks up very well from a financial point of view against its competitors, even those with straight petrol or diesel engines. With so much equipment as standard, arguably the only real decision you’d have to make on this car is whether you’d like to go for the Santorini Black of the premium Carpathian Grey,
Range Rover P400e – Comfort, Luxury, Convenience
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 31 miles
- List price – from £89,390
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 19%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
Arguably the definitive big, luxury SUV – often imitated, but rarely matched – the largest Land Rover has been around since the 1970s. This Range Rover is synonymous with refinement and luxury, and is seen as the benchmark against most other high-end cars are measured. With such associated connotations, the decision to introduce a plug-in hybrid model makes an awful lot of sense, not necessarily related to the environmental benefits or tax breaks that come with it.
There is something to be said for the P400e’s new capacity for a silent style of motoring which ties in very nicely to the unmatched feeling of luxury within the new Range Rover.
The notion of buying a car like a Range Rover for the opportunity to roam around an urban environment silently can seem a little odd, but in actual fact, we find that people do this a lot.
Range Rover’s all-electric range of 31 miles should handle the daily commute without issue, and an emission of just 64g/km of Co2 is certainly not to be sniffed at. Provided you have reliable access to a charge point either at home or at work, one can naturally assume that you could manage the vast majority of your journeys on electricity alone.
Our Pick – the Westminster and the Westminster Black
With so much similarity between the two models, the decision as to which one is best for you largely comes down to whether you prefer the all-black look or not. On the exterior, you’ll benefit from Matrix LED headlights, 21” alloy wheels (Black wheels on the Westminster Black), and a body coloured roof. You’ll also have privacy glass and a sliding panoramic roof as standard too.
On the inside the luxury is far-reaching – Perforated Windsor leather with 20-way heated front seats and power recline heated rear seats, Suedecloth headlining, configurable ambient lighting and a heated leather steering wheel are included, to name but a few options.
We find that both options represent an intelligent selection of options from Land Rover here, and as a result are likely to benefit from strong residuals going forward.
Land Rover Defender P400e - iconic, traditional, improved
What you need to know:
- Electric-only range – up to 27 miles
- List price – from £65,915
- Benefit in Kind tax (2021/2022) – from 19%
- Charge-time using a DC Rapid charger – 0-80% in c.30 minutes
In short, the Land Rover Defender is a rugged SUV which combines brilliant off-road ability with an updated and much improved interior offering. Whilst the likes of an Audi Q5 or Q7 certainly offer a much more premium and comfortable feel on the inside, for those who are looking for such a blend of abilities the Defender is arguably in a class of its own here.
The P400e uses a 2.0 litre petrol engine with an electric motor which combine to produce 404bhp – good enough for 0-62 in just over 5 and a half seconds, and an all-electric range of around 27 miles, making it the only Defender that isn’t actually in the top BIK tax band. There is a small caveat here though – it also tows the least at just under 3000kg.
The P400e powertrain is only available on the 110 X-Dynamic trim with prices starting at just under £66,000, and Land Rover have kept quiet as to whether this will be available on the Defender 90 in the future.
Which X-Dynamic model should you go for?
As is typical with a Defender, the P400e can come with either 5 or 6 seats, and is also fitted with adaptive air suspension, privacy glass and 3-zone climate control as standard. In addition, for ride comfort all models also come with 20” alloy wheels.
All X-Dynamic variants come with a 10” touchscreen, Interactive Driver Display, the all new Pivi Pro, Android Auto/Apply Car Play, and an Online Data pack, as well as a 3D surround Camera and the 360-degree parking aid.
Upgrading to the X-Dynamic SE gives you Keyless entry, Premium cabin lighting, and electric memory front seats, in addition to an upgraded Meridian Sound System, the really useful Blind Spot Assist.
The full-fat X Dynamic HSE model adds in a not-very-Defender sliding panoramic sunroof, as well as some more luxury items such as a heated steering wheel, heated electric folding mirrors, and some heated and cooled electric memory front seats.
We’d probably recommend the X Dynamic SE model here, which, despite coming packed with additional extras, manages to maintain the same rugged appeal that the Defenders have traditionally been known for.
