Proper 4x4 off-road EV, what options

[The Surveyor]

The company has tasked me with the replacement of 6 Land Rover Discovery SE's on a new 2 year, 10k pa lease. The existing Disco's are used for a mixture of uses, ranging from site inspections across fields and construction sites to VIP transport. They need to have proper 4x4 off-road ability whilst being presentable and spacious. Mainly short trips around the sites, with occasional longer trip so thinking a plug-in hybrid would be ideal.

The Discovery is perfect, leather seats classy, presentable without being ostentatious, and will go anywhere across the fields and sites.

For company sustainability purposes, we are looking at something better performing than a V6 oil-burner. The new Defender in P400e format looks the ideal option or maybe the Volvo XC90 Recharge, but is there anything else out there to consider?

[Europa Jon]

There's nothing coming to the UK for a couple of years that has good ground clearance. Then, the Rivian will be the vehicle for you.

[modeller]

I-Pace would be the only option.

[The Surveyor]

modeller said:

I-Pace would be the only option.

Is that more of an SUV, rather than full 4x4?

What's the the ground clearance like on those?

[The Surveyor]

Europa Jon said:

There's nothing coming to the UK for a couple of years that has good ground clearance. Then, the Rivian will be the vehicle for you.

Cheers, needs to be lined up for next summer though

[Throttle Body]

I can't think of a BEV that fits the bill. Plug-in hybrids PHEVs are the closest that I can think of, with the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Sport being good contenders.

[hyphen]

The Surveyor said:

The company has tasked me with the replacement of 6 Land Rover Discovery SE's on a new 2 year, 10k pa lease. The existing Disco's are used for a mixture of uses, ranging from site inspections across fields and construction sites to VIP transport. They need to have proper 4x4 off-road ability whilst being presentable and spacious. Mainly short trips around the sites, with occasional longer trip so thinking a plug-in hybrid would be ideal.

The Discovery is perfect, leather seats classy, presentable without being ostentatious, and will go anywhere across the fields and sites.

For company sustainability purposes, we are looking at something better performing than a V6 oil-burner. The new Defender in P400e format looks the ideal option or maybe the Volvo XC90 Recharge, but is there anything else out there to consider?

Highlighting that OP is happy to have a hybrid. As it's buried in there.

[dmsims]

"With the optional air suspension, the I-Pace offers up to 241mm of ground clearance"

[aponting389]

You could get BMW X5 hybrids with the off road package which has air suspension, locking diff, front and rear bash plates, and some other bits. Put some decent tyres on and I’m sure they’d do all the stuff you require

[kambites]

What's the outlander like offroad? There's a PHEV version of that.

[Witchfinder]

Twisted Performance will convert old Defenders to electric for you. Sounds like you need something that's got creature comforts though.

https://www.twistedautomotive.com/electric/

[oop north]

I suspect that the discovery when face lifted (2021?) will have a PHEV version. The jag f-pace has just got one and I think the velar, as well as the full fat RR, RR sport, the discovery sport and evoque. So there can be little doubt the disco 5 will get it too. Of there is the defender, though I am a bit annoyed it costs £20k more than the base 3.0 litre diesel. Someone already mentioned the BMW X5 PHEV and there is a Mercedes gle equivalent which I think can also be had with an off-road pack

[SydneyBridge]

Discovery Sport review

https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery-sport...

[Avdb]

Jeep Wrangler 4xe hybrid

[The Surveyor]

Thanks for the further suggestions all, very helpful

[oop north]

I did some on line building myself yesterday - I don’t think the off-road packs are available in the bmw x5 or merc gle PHEVs. You can at least get the merc in a nice green (come on Land Rover!) but that feels like a weak reason to buy one.

What I have spotted though is that the land rovers have pretty terrible electric only range, making the company car tax a lot worse than the x5 and gle

[dmsims]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwStZpTvr5E

[The Surveyor]

dmsims said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwStZpTvr5E

Would certainly be worth looking at as an alternative to the Defender if they had any concrete plans to make it, at the moment it's just a concept and the EQC is very much an SUV rather than a full 4x4. Looks cool though

[oop north]

The Surveyor said:

dmsims said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwStZpTvr5E

Would certainly be worth looking at as an alternative to the Defender if they had any concrete plans to make it, at the moment it's just a concept and the EQC is very much an SUV rather than a full 4x4. Looks cool though

I know wading depth isn’t going to be the be all and end all, but the standard eqc wading depth is 30cm, this version is 40cm. My iPace is 50cm. The discovery 5 and new defender are 70cm (I think). So the eqc left me a little underwhelmed

[The Surveyor]

oop north said:

The Surveyor said:

dmsims said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwStZpTvr5E

Would certainly be worth looking at as an alternative to the Defender if they had any concrete plans to make it, at the moment it's just a concept and the EQC is very much an SUV rather than a full 4x4. Looks cool though

I know wading depth isn’t going to be the be all and end all, but the standard eqc wading depth is 30cm, this version is 40cm. My iPace is 50cm. The discovery 5 and new defender are 70cm (I think). So the eqc left me a little underwhelmed

The new Defender has a whopping 90cm wading depth which is very impressive although I'm not sure if that's compromised with the hybrid drivetrain. Regardless I'd really not like to think of any of the drivers barrelling into a 3 foot flood but it does highlight the difference between a real off-roader and an SUV.