Land Rover on Tuesday said its first diesel hybrid sports utility vehicle will hit the roads by 2013 for which testing of the prototype named 'range e' will start this year-end.
"The use of hybrid technology is part of the significant developments for the larger vehicles in the range. The first diesel hybrid will be available in 2012 and on the road in 2013," Tatas-owned Land Rover said in a statement.
The company aims to achieve a range of 20 miles using electric power with a top speed of about 120 miles per hour and will emit less than 100 grams of CO2 in every kilometre, it added.
Hybrid technology utilises conventional fuel along with fuel cells (batteries), which could be used alternately to power a vehicle and are considered eco-friendly.
"By the end of 2010, Land Rover will be testing the first diesel hybrid prototype called the 'range_e', which is being developed using a Range Rover Sport platform," it added. During the tests for the prototypes of the vehicles, the company will use the existing 3.0 litre TDV6 diesel engine featuring a 8-speed automatic transmission.
Besides, the company will also introduce a new compact variant of its SUV Range Rover in 2011 with 2-wheel drive (2WD) option.
"On sale in 2011, the 2WD vehicle will emit less than 130 grams/km of CO2 -- making it the lightest, most fuel efficient Range Rover ever," the company said.
In 2WD technology, the transmission is distributed either to the front or rear two wheels of the vehicle while it is distributed equally to all the four wheels in 4WD category. For driving in difficult terrains, 4WD is preferred.
"This is good news for the company and for our customers. A 2WD option is just one way in which we are developing our vehicles efficiency, whilst adding to the Land Rover range and expanding our customer base," Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham said.
The company will continue to produce the all-terrain vehicles with existing 4WD technology and will offer the 2WD as an alternative, he added.
"Jaguar LandRover has committed to invest 800 million pounds in developing environment friendly technologies and remain committed to develop vehicles with sustainable features which respond to customer demand," the statement said.
In September last year, with the global economic recovery on the horizon, JLR had announced a decade-long new business strategy that would see 800 million pounds (over Rs 6,200 crore) investment going for developing eco-friendly products.
