- Land Rover’s upcoming Discovery facelift has been caught in a series of spy photos during a test run.
- The photos don’t reveal too many changes on the design front, but reports are claiming that this could be the British manufacturer’s first hybrid vehicle.
- It is believed that the new Discovery PHEV will be more powerful than the recent Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport models.
Land Rover is desperately trying to get into the EV game in some form and rumors are rife that the company may bring an upgraded version of the Discovery with a plug-in powertrain under the hood. Well, we may have caught out first glimpse of this vehicle thanks to a leak by Motor1. The photos don’t reveal any major changes in terms of design, although it is believed that Land Rover may make some visual changes before the vehicle hits the market.
While there’s no clarity on what’s running underneath, it is believed that this vehicle will have a more powerful hybrid powertrain than the one recently shown off with the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport. These recent automobiles are powered by a 1.5 Liter PHEV engine, so the hopes with the refreshed Discovery are much higher.
It is said that the hybrid model will continue to sell along with the diesel and gasoline versions of the car. Going by the company’s recent facelift made with the Discovery Sport, one can also expected a refined interior, a better infotainment system, wireless charging, and a smart rearview mirror.
Land Rover is currently struggling to keep up with the revised British CO2 emissions law, making the switch to a hybrid or full-electric drivetrain a necessity at this point. While markets like China are currently seeing enormous growth in the EV segment, some regions are still slow to catch up.
A lot of credit for the growth of the EV business has to go to Tesla which has aggressively pushed its vehicles across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. The CEO of Volvo recently acknowledged that customers will buy fewer gasoline cars when the lockdown ends as the popularity of EVs is surging. This when coupled with attractive state and federal rebates in places like the U.S. makes electric vehicles a very attractive option.
Via: Motor1