Land Rover launches new hybrid Range Rover

Date: 10/9/2012

A new model of Range Rover has been developed, which is designed to be the most fuel efficient 4x4 available on the market.

The super-green diesel-electric hybrid is part of a new investment amounting to £370 million, Jaguar Land Rover has recently announced.

It has said that the new model will represent the first time this type of technology has been used on a vehicle suitable for all terrains.

The carbon emissions to come from the new Range Rover model will be on a par with those to emanate from a family saloon.

It will be capable of going from zero to 60 miles per hour in seven seconds due to its 3.0 litre V6 turbo-charged diesel engine, which offers 45 miles to the gallon.

An electric motor and battery has also been installed into the vehicle which captures the energy generated through braking and deceleration.

This is stored in the battery and then used to power the electric motor to either boost the diesel engine or run the car on electricity alone.

The new model is also extremely lighter than its previous counterparts with an all aluminium body and chassis.

This reduces the weight by 420 kilograms, which is the equivalent of five adults sitting inside, which reduces the amount of fuel needed to move the vehicle and therefore cuts down on pollution.

50 per cent of the aluminium used to build the car comes from recycled drinks cans with a total of 29,000 needed per vehicle.

6,500 recycled plastic bottles are also used in order to create components and another energy saving feature is the addition of stop-start technology which cuts the engine when the car is at a standstill.

Not only is the new Range Rover constructed from recycled material, but it can also be recycled once it has reached the end of its life.

The new model has all the style and sophistication to be expected from a new Range Rover, with design director Gerry McGovern saying: "When you think of Business Class you tend to think of British Airways. This is better than BA."

Posted by Nick Anderson

International Transport News and Sustainable Transport News