24.11.2011 Land Rover Range_e wins SMMT Award

Jaguar Land Rover has won SMMT's 2011 Award for Automotive Innovation for its prototype Range_e – the world's first luxury Plug-in Hybrid Electric 4X4 with integrated V6 diesel engine.

The system, first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March, has been hailed by the auto industry as the most significant achievement of the year in UK research and development for the global market.

The award, sponsored by GKN Driveline, was presented to Jaguar Land Rover's Chief Engineer of Hybrids, Peter Richings at SMMT's Annual Dinner by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker and Rob Rickell, Global Engineering Director, GKN.

The Range_e marks a world first as a luxury all-wheel drive vehicle powered by plug-in hybrid system, bringing together a 69 kW electric motor and 14.2 kWh lithium-ion battery with Land Rover's 245 PS 3.0-litre TDV6 diesel engine. The vehicle, based on the Range Rover Sport, can be driven for more than 20 miles on its electric power, creating zero tailpipe emissions. Beyond this range, the diesel-hybrid drivetrain engages seamlessly and continues to optimise CO2 emissions.

The Range_e can be operated in a choice of four different driving modes, but overall CO2 output is 89 g/km with 85 mpg fuel economy, while the system's combined power of 339 PS delivers a top speed of around 120 mph. Battery recharging can be accomplished simply and efficiently by connecting the system to an external 240V power source.

Commenting on the Award announcement, Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive and chair of the five-strong judging panel said, "Jaguar Land Rover has engineered and manufactured a highly-efficient and technologically advanced prototype vehicle that clearly demonstrates industry's commitment to lowering vehicle emissions and creating exciting products for demanding consumers. This award champions industry innovation – promoting cutting-edge automotive engineering and design that the UK is famed for around the world."

On presenting the Award, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker, spoke about the importance of recognising innovation within the UK's automotive sector, adding that a collaborative approach across the commercial, business and government sectors was essential in encouraging new technologies and products to market.

This year's Award was judged by a panel of senior industry figures, each of whom were impressed with the technology used. The Range_e is one of a number of Land Rover projects supported by the UK Government's Technology Strategy Board, and UK engineering of the Range_e has been undertaken at JLR's Gaydon engineering site and UK. Fleet trials began in December 2010 with five prototype models involved in the CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emissions Demonstrators) consortium. Earlier this year, Land Rover announced its plans to launch the first diesel-electric hybrid in 2013.

Newspress