The Land Rover Defender is finally available as a short-wheelbase Defender 90 version in the United States with improved maneuverability and a better breakover angle. This is one of the main characteristics of the 2021 model year for the American market but customers in Europe will get even more novelties. The star of the show has to be the new plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Dubbed the P400e, the Defender PHEV gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo gas engine with 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts), supported by a 140-hp (105 kW) electric motor for a combined output of 404 hp (301 kW). The off-roader can travel up to 27 miles (43 kilometers) on electric energy and is capable of accelerating from 0 to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in just 5.6 seconds. The average fuel consumption stands at 85.3 miles per gallon (3.3 liters per 100 km) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 74 g/km.
Gallery: 2021 Land Rover Defender PHEV
“The advanced new P400e plug-in hybrid perfectly balances performance with fuel economy and all-electric off-road capability,” senior manager, powertrain advanced engineering, Ian Gray, explains. The British company also points out that, when using a 50-kW rapid charger, the Defender P400e can refill its battery up to 80 percent in approximately 30 minutes.
2021 Defender For America:
Depending on the market, there’s also a new 3.0-liter, inline-six diesel engine generating a peak output of 300 hp (224 kW) and 479 pound-feet (650 Newton-meters) of torque. In the shorter Defender 90, the turbodiesel powertrain is good for a 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) sprint in 6.7 seconds. As standard, the engine is equipped with a mild-hybrid technology and a start-stop system. There’s also an optimized all-wheel-drive system with intelligent torque distribution between the wheels.
Just like the US-spec 2021 Defender, the European version of the model also gets the new X-Dynamic trim level, as well as additional color, customization, and wheel options to choose from.
Source: Land Rover