Land Rover Defender P400e Plug-In Hybrid Variant Unveiled
The Land Rover Defender has issued several upgrades for the line-up of the 2021 model year including a new plug-in hybrid petrol engine and a new, mild-hybrid design diesel engine. Sales of the short wheelbase model Defender 90, which was delayed due to the effect of Covid-19 lockdowns, have also begun in international markets, though reservations in India are still on hold.
The first hybrid Land Rover Defender P400e plug-in will go on sale globally next year, with a 404hp powertrain capable of 43 km of electric-only running and promising to be the off-roader’s “most powerful and reliable” version.
The Land Rover Defender P400e hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) plug-in option will initially only be available in the long-wheelbase 110 models. It uses the same powertrain as the Range Rover Sport. This fits into a 143hp electric motor a 300hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol engine.
Land Rover says the model can have “substantial torque” contributing to the off-road versatility of the rugged vehicle. The powertrain can attain 0-100kph in 5.6sec and a maximum speed of 209kph.
The Land Rover Defender P400e features standard 20-inch wheels and electric air suspension, with its powertrain tuned to allow low-range, both on and off-road, electrical-only operation.
Using a charging power socket to the left of the car, charging its 19.2kWh battery comes through a Mode 3 link, while a Mode 2 connector is available as an option. An 80 percent charge on a 50kW fast charger takes around half an hour. It also employs regenerative braking.
The Land Rover Defender P400e is available as standard with either 5 or 6 seats, including privacy glass and climate control.
Land Rover has introduced a new 3.0-liter six-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine to the Defender line-up, in addition to the plug-in hybrid. Using mild-hybrid technology to improve performance, it will be available in three outputs, beginning with the D200 (200hp and 500Nm) and the D250 (249hp and 570Nm), replacing the 2.0-liter four-cylinder model previously featured in the D200 and D240 tuning series. The latest D200 achieves 0-100kph in 10.2sec on Defender 110, with the D250 cutting it to 8.3secs.
The latest D300 version will sit on top of the Defender’s line-up of diesel engines, delivering a torque of 300hp and 650Nm, with a 0-100kph time of 6.7sec on Defender 90.
Following a delayed launch of the Defender 90 due to lockdowns related to Covid-19, the short wheelbase, the three-door model has now gone on sale in international markets.
It will be equipped with the same petrol and diesel engines found in the larger 110, with the diesel units P300 and P400 joined by the diesel units D200, D250, and D300. As with the 110, all models of the Defender 90 use an automatic eight-speed gearbox. Petrol models use all-wheel drive while the new, intelligent all-wheel-drive system is used for the Ingenium diesel.
Land Rover India, earlier this year, had revealed off-roader pricing. The Defender has priced in our market at Rs 69.99-86.27 lakh ( ex-showroom, India), and is available in both the 3-door 90 and the 5-door 110 version.
Although Defender 90 sales have started abroad, reports from dealers have reported that reservations for the model continue to be on hold for our market, with no news on the anticipated timeline of its arrival. But Defender 110 deliveries will begin next month.
Initially, the Land Rover SUV was launched with a single 300hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (P300), in India. A diesel powertrain alternative is also expected down the line through the P400e PHEV version is not officially communicated.
Earlier this year, we drove the latest version of the iconic off-roader for the British marque in Namibia. Tap for our exclusive Land Rover Defender summary here.
