The Range Rover Evoque and Velar model lines are reaching the end of their life, as the British marque makes room for the upcoming GT EV…
According to an interview conducted by AutoCar, Jaguar Land Rover will not replace the Range Rover Evoque and Velar when production ends by the end of 2027. JLR is not developing direct replacements for either vehicle.
This decision stems directly from JLR’s ‘House of Brands’ strategy. The company separated Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery into distinct, standalone brands. Consequently, the ‘Range Rover’ badge will focus purely on the upper end of the luxury market. Smaller and “more affordable” price points will shift to Defender and Discovery. For example, the upcoming Defender Sport will soon join the lineup as the new entry point to JLR ownership.
Historically, the Range Rover Evoque and Velar targeted broader price brackets. The Evoque drove massive volume and profitability for JLR in the early 2010s, with sales frequently surpassing 100 000 units annually. Conversely, the Velar achieved about half of those sales numbers. JLR has now shifted from mass-volume models to high-margin premium offerings.
New Range Rover GT EV coming in 2027
The Range Rover GT will launch at the start of 2027 as the new entry point for the marque. Built on the electric-first EMA architecture at the firm’s Halewood facility, the all-electric GT will cost around £100 000 (approximately R2.2 million) at launch. Hybrid variants will follow at a later stage and will be priced from roughly £90 000 (approximately R1.9 million).
The GT features a road-focused, saloon-style silhouette, while retaining traditional off-road capability. Range Rover boss Martin Limpert clarified that the GT was not conceived as a direct replacement for the Range Rover Evoque and Velar, but rather as an entirely original offering.
Early interest from investors and buyers has proved positive, with over 80% of queries coming from customers outside the current JLR base. Furthermore, the Defender Sport will share both the EMA platform and the Merseyside production line. Halewood is currently receiving a £500 million (approximately R11 billion) upgrade for electric vehicle production. Meanwhile, current Discovery Sport production will end in December to prepare the plant for the new architecture.
Range Rover and Jaguar EV platforms and future developments
The flagship Range Rover and Range Rover Sport ranges will continue without immediate facelifts. Limpert noted that Range Rover designs are created to be long-lasting. However, future model-year updates will create greater visual separation between the two vehicles.
Vehicle engineering director Matt Becker confirmed that the electric Range Rover models and the Jaguar Type 01 use completely different architectures. Becker explained that requirements for Range Rover and Jaguar differed so significantly that platform sharing was not a viable option.
For example, Becker revealed that the drive units for electric Range Rovers are bespoke, in-house creations built specifically for heavy off-road driving. Becker noted that, while these unique components lengthened early development, JLR will now speed up EV launches across its three completed platforms. This includes the EMA, MLA, and JEA. Finally, Limpert confirmed the Land Rover grille emblem will remain as a trust mark for off-road heritage, while diesel power remains an option on MLA models.
