Land Rover Defender To Get A Plug-In Hybrid Variant In India

P400e Land Rover Defender 110 PHEV charging

The Land Rover Defender PHEV’s powertain consists of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 105 kW electric motor, generating a combined power of 400 HP

Land Rover Defender was recently launched in the Indian market, at a starting price of Rs. 73.98 lakh. The vehicle is currently available with a single engine option – a 2.0-litre, inline-4, turbocharged petrol engine, which is offered with an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The company, however, has plans to expand the Defender range soon with a new PHEV model.

The plug-in hybrid variant of the Defender (P400e) made its global debut last month. It is powered by a 2.0-litre ‘Ingenium’ petrol engine, along with a 105kW electric motor. The latter draws power from a 19.2kWh battery, which can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes via a 50kW fast charger. A 7kW AC wall charger will fully charge the battery in two hours.

The Defender P400e is rated at a maximum power output of 400 HP, and can drive for up to 27 miles (43 km) on pure electric charge. It can deliver a WLTP-certified fuel economy of 30.3 kmpl. The vehicle is capable of hitting 100 kmph from a standstill in just 5.6 seconds, and the top speed is rated at 209 kmph.

P400e Land Rover Defender 110 PHEV off road

The PHEV variant is currently only available on the five-door ‘110’ model. Land Rover also says that the PHEV variant is an extremely capable off-roader as well. The instant torque delivery of the electric motor would be extremely useful in demanding off-road conditions. The SUV can be driven on both high range and low range modes when running on just electricity.

The Defender P400e will come with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard. The equipment level will remain unchanged; the SUV will continue to offer an electronic air suspension system (with adjustable ground clearance), three-zone climate control, and available privacy glass.

P400e Land Rover Defender 110 PHEV infotainment system

The PHEV variant also gets regenerative braking, which helps reduce the braking losses and improve fuel economy. There is no launch window provided yet, but we expect the Defender P400e to arrive in the Indian market by mid-2021. Of course, the P400e variant will be priced at a premium over the regular Defender 110.