The arrival of a fully electric Range Rover has hardly been a secret. We have watched prototypes being tested in deserts, driven across frozen lakes and gradually revealed at carefully selected events around the world.
What I was not expecting to discover quite so soon was that an electric Range Rover Sport appears to be almost ready as well.
Range Rover has now confirmed that the Range Rover Sport Electric will become its second fully electric production model, following the larger flagship Range Rover Electric. A prototype was demonstrated privately during the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, with selected journalists given the opportunity to drive it on the circuit and across a collection of specially created obstacles.
Having been at Goodwood myself only days earlier, I am slightly disappointed that this was happening somewhere behind the scenes without me knowing. More importantly, though, I am genuinely excited by what the early reports suggest.
The full-sized Range Rover has always felt like a natural candidate for electric power. It is supposed to be quiet, exceptionally smooth and almost completely effortless. The Range Rover Sport, however, has a slightly different job. It still needs to deliver luxury and refinement, but it is also expected to feel more responsive, more engaging and more athletic.
Creating a convincing electric version could therefore be a much more difficult challenge.
The Range Rover Electric was already on its way
Before looking at the Sport, it is worth understanding what has been happening with the larger Range Rover Electric.
The flagship model will be the first fully electric production Range Rover. It has been undergoing an unusually extensive development programme designed to prove that switching to battery power will not compromise the qualities for which the vehicle is known.
Range Rover has tested prototypes in temperatures exceeding 50°C and humidity of up to 90 per cent in the United Arab Emirates. The cars have been driven across soft desert sand, climbed demanding dunes and repeatedly completed the 300ft Big Red desert ascent without suffering a reduction in performance.
Development has also taken place at the opposite end of the temperature scale. Prototypes accumulated as much as 45,000 miles of winter testing across frozen lakes and tracks in northern Europe. Engineers used these conditions to develop the air suspension, one-pedal driving system, traction management and the vehicle’s thermal technology.
One of the more interesting developments is a system called ThermAssist. It is designed to recover and redistribute heat around the vehicle, helping to warm the cabin and electric powertrain while reducing the amount of battery energy consumed by heating. Range Rover claims the system can reduce heating energy use by up to 40 per cent and continue recovering useful heat in ambient temperatures as low as minus 10°C.
That matters because cold-weather efficiency remains one of the biggest concerns for electric-car drivers. A luxury SUV with a large cabin, substantial weight and considerable heating requirements needs particularly effective thermal management if it is going to deliver a dependable winter range.
A Range Rover first, an electric car second
The important thing about the Range Rover Electric is that it does not appear to be trying to reinvent the Range Rover.
There is no radically different body shape, futuristic interior or attempt to make it look like a completely separate model. It remains unmistakably a Range Rover, with the electric version identified through details such as its more enclosed front grille, distinctive wheels and subtle exterior finishes.
That feels like the correct approach. People buying a Range Rover generally want the presence, comfort, driving position and design of a Range Rover. They are unlikely to want something that looks as though it has arrived from a completely different manufacturer simply because the engine has been replaced by electric motors.
A production-specification Range Rover Electric was shown publicly at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, following earlier appearances at events including the Chelsea Flower Show and Wimbledon. A full global reveal is still due later in 2026, with order books also scheduled to open before the end of the year.
Range Rover has not yet published the complete UK specification. However, information released during the prototype development programme points towards two permanent-magnet electric motors, four-wheel drive, approximately 542bhp and 627lb ft of torque.
The battery is expected to offer about 118kWh of usable capacity, while an 800-volt electrical system should support very rapid charging. Early indications suggest a charging peak of around 350kW, although the final charging curve and official charging times remain to be confirmed.
Range is expected to exceed 300 miles. Engineers have reportedly been working towards approximately 330 miles using the stricter American EPA test, which could translate into a higher official WLTP figure for UK and European cars. Until the homologated number is published, however, any claimed UK range should be treated as provisional.
Then came the Range Rover Sport Electric
On 16 July 2026, Range Rover officially confirmed that the Sport Electric was coming.
The announcement described it as the brand’s second EV and said the production model would arrive later in 2026. The prototype had been presented privately during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it completed a series of challenges inspired by previous Range Rover Sport publicity stunts and engineering demonstrations.
These included driving through a modified aircraft fuselage, negotiating steps and steep inclines, crossing loose surfaces and completing dynamic exercises on the Goodwood Motor Circuit.
It was a deliberately theatrical way of making an important point. Removing the engine is not supposed to remove the Range Rover Sport’s identity or capability.
Range Rover says the electric version will combine increased power and torque with a new chassis calibration and a specially developed audio experience. The manufacturer has also promised that it will be more dynamic and faster than before, although the exact meaning of that claim will become clearer when the final performance figures are published.
What powers the Range Rover Sport Electric?
Range Rover’s official announcement did not include a detailed technical specification. However, journalists who drove the prototype have reported that it shares much of its hardware with the larger Range Rover Electric.
That is possible because both vehicles use JLR’s Modular Longitudinal Architecture, commonly shortened to MLA. The platform was designed from the beginning to support petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains.
The reported specification includes two JLR-developed electric motors, one driving each axle. Two versions are expected, producing approximately 444bhp and 542bhp respectively.
The more powerful model is believed to produce around 627lb ft, or 850Nm, of torque. One prototype specification suggested a 0-62mph time of approximately 4.4 seconds and a top speed of around 130mph, although both figures remain estimates rather than confirmed production numbers.
Energy is expected to come from the same double-stacked battery arrangement used by the flagship Range Rover Electric, with approximately 118.5kWh of usable capacity. Reports also suggest an 800-volt electrical architecture and potential DC charging speeds of up to 350kW.
An estimated range of around 330 miles has been discussed using the American EPA test cycle. That would be a respectable result for a large, heavy and deliberately upright luxury SUV fitted with all-season tyres, although it is unlikely to make the Sport Electric one of the most efficient EVs on the market.
Range Rover appears to be prioritising comfort, all-terrain ability and performance rather than chasing an impressive efficiency figure at the expense of the vehicle’s character.
That is a trade-off some buyers will happily accept, but real-world motorway range will be one of the most important things to test when production cars become available.
It still looks like a Range Rover Sport
Visually, the prototype is extremely close to the Range Rover Sport we already know.
The basic proportions, muscular bodywork, rising waistline and clean surfaces remain unchanged. Differences visible on the prototype include a more enclosed grille, aerodynamically optimised wheels, electric badging and, naturally, the absence of exhaust pipes.
This is not an electric SUV trying to look unusual for the sake of it. It is a Range Rover Sport offered with another powertrain.
That could prove to be one of its greatest strengths. The current Sport already has a strong and recognisable design, so there is little reason to replace it with something less familiar.
It remains possible that the production vehicle will arrive alongside a wider Range Rover Sport update, potentially bringing revised lighting, bumpers and interior technology. For the moment, however, Range Rover has only confirmed that the complete details will be revealed later in 2026.
What is it like to drive?
The early reports are encouraging.
Drivers who experienced the prototype describe exceptionally smooth power delivery, strong acceleration and more agility than might be expected from a large electric SUV.
Placing the battery low within the vehicle reduces its centre of gravity. That appears to help the Sport remain flatter and more composed during quick changes of direction, while four-wheel steering improves manoeuvrability at lower speeds and stability when travelling faster.
The electric motors also appear to have been calibrated to give the vehicle a slightly rear-biased character when accelerating out of corners. That should help the Sport feel more engaging than an electric system which simply distributes its power evenly at all times.
It will still be a very heavy car. Estimates put its kerb weight somewhere around 2.7 tonnes, so nobody should expect it to behave like a lightweight performance model. The real achievement will be making that weight feel controlled rather than allowing it to dominate the experience.
The prototype reportedly felt planted and reassuring on the circuit, although journalists have not yet driven it across the sort of broken and potholed British roads that will provide a much sterner test of its suspension.
Electric power could improve its off-road ability
Some people will question the point of developing serious off-road technology for a vehicle that will probably spend most of its life travelling through cities, suburbs and motorway traffic.
However, capability has always been an important part of the Range Rover appeal, even for owners who rarely use all of it.
Electric motors also offer genuine advantages away from the road. They can provide immediate torque from a standstill and control the amount sent to each axle with far greater precision than a conventional engine and gearbox.
There is no need to wait for an engine to build revs or for a transmission to select the correct ratio. The motors can deliver smooth, measured power almost instantly, which is particularly helpful when crossing loose ground or climbing slowly over obstacles.
The Sport Electric also includes a one-pedal driving setting that can be used off-road. This allows the driver to control much of the vehicle’s speed through the accelerator pedal, with regenerative braking slowing the car as the pedal is released.
Early testers found the system progressive and easy to manage, although the conventional brakes remain more useful when very precise control is required at extremely low speeds.
This is not simply a road-focused electric SUV wearing the Range Rover badge. Considerable effort appears to have gone into ensuring that it can still perform the difficult tasks expected of the name.
Will it still sound like a Range Rover Sport?
One of the biggest challenges facing an electric performance SUV is creating a sense of occasion.
The current Range Rover Sport can still be ordered with a V8, and no synthesised electric sound is going to recreate the mechanical character of a large petrol engine. Range Rover does not appear to be pretending otherwise.
Instead, the company is developing a new audio system intended to give the electric model its own recognisable personality. It is expected to create sound inside the cabin while also helping to reduce unwanted road and wind noise.
That could suit the Sport particularly well. Rather than producing an exaggerated imitation engine note, a carefully designed soundscape could make acceleration feel more dramatic while preserving the refinement expected from a Range Rover.
Whether it feels sophisticated or artificial will depend entirely on the final execution.
The Range Rover Sport may be the more interesting EV
The full-size Range Rover Electric makes perfect sense. Electric propulsion should enhance its calmness, silence and effortless character.
The Sport Electric is more intriguing because it must do more.
It needs to be comfortable without feeling detached, powerful without relying on a V8 soundtrack and capable off-road without a traditional gearbox or mechanical four-wheel-drive system. It also needs to disguise an enormous battery and a kerb weight approaching three tonnes.
Early evidence suggests that electric power may actually improve several elements of the Sport. It should be quieter, smoother and more responsive, with a lower centre of gravity and more precise control of its torque.
The risk is that some of its emotional appeal could disappear with the combustion engine. The Range Rover Sport has traditionally offered something more dramatic and assertive than the flagship model. The production EV will need to prove that speed and technical ability are not its only sources of personality.
What we still need to know
There are still several important gaps in the story.
Range Rover has not officially confirmed the UK price, final battery capacity, WLTP range, charging time, available trim levels or exact performance figures.
We also need to know how much it can tow, how towing will affect its predicted range, whether the fastest charging speed can be sustained for a useful period and how efficiently it performs during typical UK motorway driving.
Early estimates put the starting price somewhere around £100,000, with more powerful and highly specified versions likely to cost considerably more. That would position it below the full-sized Range Rover Electric but firmly within the premium end of the electric SUV market.
The Sport Electric will not replace the existing engines. Range Rover has confirmed that petrol, diesel, V8 mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions will continue to be offered alongside it. Buyers who are not ready to switch completely to electric power will therefore retain a wide choice of alternatives.
My initial verdict
I was already looking forward to learning more about the Range Rover Electric. It is one of those vehicles where an electric powertrain feels entirely logical, provided Range Rover can deliver enough real-world range and sufficiently fast charging.
The Range Rover Sport Electric has made me considerably more interested.
On paper, it combines the qualities that suit an EV, including silence, immediate performance and smooth power delivery, with the sharper and more engaging character of the Sport.
It is still too early to know whether it can replace the sense of occasion delivered by a V8 or whether its substantial weight will become noticeable on difficult roads. We also need official UK figures before drawing firm conclusions about range, charging and value.
Nevertheless, the prospect of a fully electric Range Rover Sport that looks almost identical to the existing model, can cover more than 300 miles, charge at potentially very high speeds and retain genuine off-road ability is an exciting one.
