R2S, Defender, Jeep Wagoneer, Range Rover EVs – the Future for Posh SUVs Looks Bright

Humanity has gone through various stages of evolution, but none of them even resembles the period of flourishing and destruction that followed after the Industrial Revolution. And with the advent of motorized vehicles, the world has started moving at a breathtakingly accelerated pace that has brought much joy, comfort, and health breakthroughs – as well as our potential apocalypse. War, new types of sickness, and now the death by the climatic holocaust.

Luckily, most of these issues can be undone. Conflicts can be stopped, pandemics can be abolished, and the environment should be saved. Automobiles are a part of the problem, along with other big sources of pollution like ships and coal factories, for example. But some say they should also be an even larger part of the solution through the decarbonization of all the surrounding industrial processes and the switch to electric vehicles.

And everyone is probably doing their bidding, including automakers. Over in North America, the EV revolution is starting to take precedence over the ICE lifestyle, and we have countless examples of new models going through a paradigm change, from the small Fiat 500 electric to the GMC Hummer EV behemoth. Speaking of humongous models, the U.S. market is soon going to be conquered by the remaining rivals of the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, and Rivian R1T – the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, as well as the fashionably late Ram 1500 REV and Tesla Cybertruck.

But what happens after the full-size pickup truck establishment is taken by the EV storm? Some will logically say that carmakers may be going downstream and thinking about adding mid-size nameplates into the fray while others might conclude that SUVs also need a jolt to do the right Tesla Model Y and X thing, even if only virtually, for now. As such, we have noticed the latest making-of videos from the TopElectricSUV channel on YouTube were spot on for a quick CGI comparison of upcoming all-electric ritzy SUVs like the Land Rover Defender EV and Jeep Wagoneer S EV, so we decided to also throw a Rivian ‘R2S’ and Range Rover EV into the mix, just for good digital measure.

First, the ‘little one,’ aka Rivian’s upcoming R2S mid-size SUV, will travel on the company’s fresh R2 platform and is expected in the United States no sooner than 2026. The primary foes for it would be the other major pure electric mid-size SUVs that we already know about – aka the popular Tesla Model Y and the upcoming 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV crossover. Pricing is expected below the $55k threshold, according to the rumor mill, and it may become a truly global vehicle for the automaker – just like Tesla’s Model Y. Last but not least, do not mind the BMW X4-like hypothesis, it’s just for illustration purposes.

Secondly, the other mid-size option would be the Land Rover Defender EV, but this one is a little quirkier as the modern L663 reinvention trumps classes with the Defender 90 being a compact premium SUV, the Defender 110 a mid-sizer, and the latest Defender 130 already capable of full-size shenanigans. Expectations are high for the EV variants, which could arrive in 2025 for a 2026 market launch across all three body styles. All of them are supposedly – according to the rumor mill – being developed (with testing already underway, as per the latest JLR hints) on the MLA-Flex platform, and underpinnings will be common with the Range Rover and RR Sport EVs.

Third, the already previewed Jeep Wagoneer S electric SUV – which is going to be slotted just above the Grand Cherokee to better fight off the BMW iX and Range Rover Sport EVs, is thought to be a cost-effective option into the premium zero-emission CUV lifestyle with first deliveries coming as soon as next year. Fourth, and last – but certainly not least – we can also think about the big and brawny Range Rover Electric. It is an interesting proposition, but with ICE Range Rover prices tucked in between over $106k and $226k, we can all be sure that this one is going to cost an arm and a leg. Well, it remains to be seen if it opens the door to ultra-luxury super-SUVs with zero emissions, going forward, though only if it becomes more successful than some of its primary foes like the Mercedes-Benz EQS.