A new mini Land Rover electric SUV is reportedly due out and could go by the name “Defender Sport.” Despite its compact size, the new EV will carry the brand’s iconic rugged, open-road mentality.
According to Autocar, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been tossing around the idea of a compact SUV but has yet to reveal it in any of its public plans.
The move to expand the Defender brand and add a mini electric SUV was confirmed by CEO Adrian Mardell at a recent JLR investor conference. Mardell stated, “Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery will come off the platform,” regarding the company’s new EMA electric vehicle platform.
After revealing plans to transform its Halewood facility last year, the automaker said it would build at least three or four EVs at the plant.
The new electric models include the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and Range Rover Velar. Now, the mystery fourth EV has been revealed.
Mini Land Rover Defender Sport electric SUV due in 2027
Although no other details were confirmed about the mini Defender, the fact that it will ride on the EV-only EMA platform gives us enough to work with.
The new mini Discovery electric SUV will be much smaller than the gas-powered versions you see on the road today. The expected Land Rover Discover Sport will ride on its MLA architecture, designed for both ICE and future electric Range Rover variants.
Jaguar Land Rover is looking to maximize the value of each brand after announcing its new rebranding strategy in June.
The new plans call for Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Jaguar to become their own individual brands, while Land Rover will remain “a key part of the company’s DNA.”
Speaking with Autocar, JLR’s marketing director, Anthony Bradbury, recently said the Defender is “an explorer’s vehicle, it’s always pushed boundaries, it’s always physically allowed you to do things no other vehicle can. It’s about that spirit of embracing the impossible, and it has been like that for 75 years.”
Even its smallest vehicle, if it wears the Defender name, must have “that feeling of activation, of doing” while embracing the brand’s rugged, open-road mentality.
The 800 V EMA platform will likely be capable of a peak rate of 350 kW. Meanwhile, the batteries will have much higher energy density than the current Jaguar I-Pace, with a new partnership with Agratas (Tata Group) to supply battery packs with up to 450 miles range.
Smaller, more efficient batteries will enable more cabin room and a raised ride height, two features buyers are demanding.
The Defender is one of JLR’s top money-makers. Along with the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, the three accounted for 76% of the 185K order bank in the first quarter of 2023.
A lower-priced, mini electric Defender Sport SUV would give the brand another potential high-volume seller as it moves into the EV era. The new EV is reportedly due out by 2027.
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