Range Rover Electric Claims Best Traction in Arctic Tests

Range Rover’s first battery-electric vehicle kicks off its extensive real-world testing in the extreme sub-zero temperatures of the Arctic Circle.

Initial tests are focused on the capability of the battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU), the vehicle’s core components including the transmission, electric motor and power electronics, in extreme temperatures as low as -40°C (-40°F). Both the battery and EDU are assembled in-house by Jaguar Land Rover in a first for the brand.

The automaker claims that testing on the frozen lakes of Sweden shows Range Rover’s EDU exceeds previous models’ performance on low-grip surfaces, ensuring the all-terrain, all-weather and all-surface capability of the vehicle remains market-leading.

Rather than a traditional traction control setup, based solely in the ABS unit, Range Rover Electric distributes the wheel slip management task directly to each individual electric drive control unit, reducing the torque reaction time at each wheel from around 100 milliseconds to as little as 1 millisecond.

In-house-developed software claims precise EDU speed control for better traction on all surfaces with improved response, enhancing the drive experience. The system works together with the stability control and chassis systems.

The next extreme-temperatures tests will be in the +50°C (122°F) searing deserts of the Middle East. Thomas Mueller, executive director, product engineering at JLR, says: “To ensure we leave no stone uncovered, we are well underway with our physical testing and development program, all designed at pushing Range Rover Electric to the extremes to ensure its capability remains unparalleled when it reaches you.”