Land Rover Defender PHEV test: Defender of the environment?

By werdt30/04/2022866 Views

Climbing straight up the slope, the path rises like an impassable wall. The slightest crushed stone inevitably lets itself be dragged nonchalantly by gravity in a dry noise. Barely disturbed by the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind, the ambient tranquility contrasts with the violence of the effort necessary to climb each meter.

Although the supports are sure, a short break is necessary. Not to catch his breath. But just straighten the power seat back half a degree. Yes, hiking is fine. But the Land Rover Defender adventure isn't bad either. Especially now that it is (a little) more respectful of the environment, at least that it knows how to evolve in silence by adopting a rechargeable hybrid engine for the first time.

In this P400e version, only compatible with the 110 long body, the British icon is inspired by its luxurious Range Sport and Range Rover brothers of the same name by combining a 2.0 turbo petrol and an electric machine integrated into the 8-speed automatic gearbox. . Transmission which, in the present case, abandons its traditional converter for a controlled clutch allowing the traction chain to be uncoupled from the thermal block when the latter ceases to activate. Like in EV mode for example.

Although it only had 105 kW (i.e. 143 hp) and 275 Nm at its disposal, this 2.6 tonne cube (!) still does not fear the slightest ascent once loaded with its many assistances at the off-road driving. Better, the constant force, characteristic of the electric motor at low speed, allows to evolve in a hostile environment with even more fluidity than having to tame simple horsepower.

Essai Land Rover Defender PHEV : Defender de l’environnement ?

In return, you should not expect to travel much more than thirty kilometers, against 43 announced, before making the gasoline mechanics snore or having to fill 19.2 kWh of the battery again.

That said, that of the Defender admits up to 50 kW in direct current to find 80% of its capacity in 30 minutes. The lesser terminal is anyway preferable to Save mode, which allows you to recharge the batteries while driving, but which only increases the appetite of the 4-cylinder. In a more classic hybrid mode, consumption is already very difficult to contain under 10 l/100 km. What this Land Rover tries to justify by vigorous accelerations in a sound far from being unpleasant.

Energetic, its 404 hp and 640 Nm combined do not overwhelm the chassis, guaranteeing well-controlled body movements and therefore assured road behavior. Now as comfortable at high speeds on the highway as in the middle of a quagmire, the “Def” offers the bonus of the comfort of a good sedan in the presence of this motorization with pneumatic controlled damping as standard.

From a sobriety subject to conditions, this P400e conceals a final argument: it is the only Defender in the catalog (excluding Hard Top utility versions) to escape the penalty of €30,000. Which, in France, gives it an advantage of €20,000 over the equivalent D300 diesel. Because it's not just the environment, there are also money issues.