- The next-gen Range Rover Velar will be sold only as an EV.
- The new model will ride on JLR’s EMA electric platform.
- Land Rover is reshaping the Velar into a high-riding sedan.
An all-new Range Rover Velar is just around the corner, and it will be very different from the model we know today in more ways than one. The next generation will switch to EV-only power, marking a seismic change for the nameplate. It will also look quite different. Land Rover will move away from the traditional SUV silhouette of the current version and adopt a lower-slung shape that resembles a high-riding sedan.
Read: New Velar Starts Looking More Like A Range Rover Sedan
Hot on the heels of a camouflaged prototype of the new Velar testing in the European snow, a pair of fresh renderings previewing the model has surfaced. We will have to wait and see whether the second-generation Velar looks like this when it reaches production, but if it does, it will certainly stand apart.
These images, created by Nikita Chuyko for Kolesa, suggest the next Velar will retain a few recognizable cues from today’s model, though they have been reshaped into something closer to the Volvo ES90’s fastback-like profile. Up front, it still looks unmistakably Range Rover, with slim LED headlights and a relatively small upper grille defining the face
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The body itself sits noticeably lower. That would be controversial on something like a Land Rover Defender, but it is unlikely to trouble most Velar buyers. Realistically, few owners ever take their vehicles off-road, so the move toward a sleeker, road-focused profile may make sense.
No doubt the most curious element of the redesigned Velar will be its rear. As spy shots have shown, there’s a short and stubby decklid, as well as a steeply raked rear window, which looks a little odd. Also visible in these renders are slim LED taillights and a blacked-out lower bumper.
The Juicy Details
Underpinning the new Velar will be the new Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA), as it will be sold exclusively as an EV. It could debut with the same 117 kWh battery pack planned for the full-size Range Rover Electric, although a slightly smaller pack remains possible. Either way, engineers will face pressure to ensure it delivers enough range and performance to replace the outgoing combustion-powered version.
