Electric Cars

Embracing Electric Elegance: Range Rover's Bold New Era

The End of an Era: Range Rover's Strategic Discontinuation of Evoque and Velar

Range Rover has announced the discontinuation of its two most budget-friendly SUV offerings, the Evoque and Velar, with production scheduled to cease in 2027. These models, introduced in 2011 and 2017 respectively, marked a period where the prestigious British luxury brand sought to extend its reach to a wider demographic. The Evoque, starting at $49,900, and the Velar, beginning at $61,600, provided a more attainable entry point into the Range Rover family compared to their pricier siblings, the Sport and the flagship Range Rover SUVs, which command starting prices of $83,700 and $107,400.

Introducing the Future: The All-New Range Rover GT as the Brand's New Entry Point

As the Evoque and Velar depart, Range Rover is ushering in a new era with the introduction of the Range Rover GT, which will serve as the brand's new foundational model. Revealed in July, the GT stands out as the fifth and latest addition to the lineup, diverging significantly from Range Rover's traditional SUV aesthetic. This low-slung grand tourer is hailed by the company as a captivating and technologically advanced expression of the brand, signaling a bold new direction in design and engineering. It represents a pivot towards innovative design and advanced technology, setting a new benchmark for what consumers can expect from the luxury automaker.

Technological Advancements and Production Plans for the Electric GT

The Range Rover GT is expected to be one of the inaugural vehicles built on Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) advanced EMA platform. Initially launching as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV), Range Rover has plans to integrate a full-hybrid (HEV) option later in its lifecycle, offering versatility to future consumers. Production of this groundbreaking model is slated to commence in the first half of 2027 at JLR's facility in Halewood, UK. This follows the production of the brand's flagship electric SUV and the smaller Sport EV model, reinforcing Range Rover's accelerated push into the electric vehicle market and solidifying its commitment to a sustainable future.

Redefining Entry-Level Luxury: Pricing and Market Positioning of the Range Rover GT

With an anticipated starting price of approximately $90,000 in the US and an estimated EPA range of at least 300 miles, the Range Rover GT is poised to launch as a 2028 model. While this price point may not align with conventional notions of an “entry-level” vehicle, especially when compared to the flagship electric SUV at $140,450 and the Sport EV at around $120,000 to $130,000, it reflects Range Rover's strategic move towards more premium and lucrative models. This move signifies the brand's ambition to elevate its market position and concentrate on high-profit luxury segments, aligning with its vision for an all-electric, high-end future.

Puerto Rico has dramatically bolstered its energy infrastructure through an intensified partnership with Sunrun, the solar and energy storage company. The island's grid recently engaged Sunrun's network of home batteries for an uninterrupted period of 18 days throughout October, highlighting a significant leap in leveraging distributed energy resources for grid stabilization. This collaborative effort has seen the participation in Sunrun's virtual power plant (VPP) double, now encompassing over 60,000 households, thereby establishing a robust and flexible power supply system capable of mitigating the island's persistent electricity challenges.

A virtual power plant functions by connecting a multitude of residential battery storage units, orchestrating their collective discharge to supply power to the grid as a unified entity. Sunrun's VPP in Puerto Rico currently integrates nearly 70,000 batteries, frequently delivering a substantial 45 megawatts of power for four-hour durations. Since April, these batteries have been dispatched more than 60 times, with continuous deployment commencing on October 13 to alleviate strain during an unseasonably warm period. For Puerto Ricans, who contend with some of the highest electricity rates in the United States, averaging 26.36 cents per kilowatt-hour in August compared to the national average of 18.16 cents, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), securing consistent power remains a critical concern. The strategic utilization of existing home battery systems offers an immediate and efficient solution, enabling the grid to access stored energy when demand peaks, circumventing the lengthy process of constructing new power generation facilities.

Sunrun's VPP has experienced exponential growth, expanding from approximately 4,000 customers in 2024 to over 30,000 by 2025, solidifying its position as the largest aggregator within Puerto Rico's Customer Battery Energy Sharing (CBES) program. LUMA, the island's grid operator, activates the CBES program during anticipated periods of high electricity demand or when reserve capacities are low. In response, companies like Sunrun autonomously manage the dispatch of battery power. Participating homeowners receive financial compensation for contributing their stored energy to the grid, while retaining control over the amount reserved for personal backup. Sunrun indicates that most participants share only a fraction of their total battery capacity, with the company generating recurring revenue from the operational management of this extensive network. Data from July reveals that the broader CBES program, with over 90,000 participating customers, has collectively supplied an average of 75 MW during instances of generation deficit.

The imperative for a more expansive virtual power plant in Puerto Rico extends beyond the immediate aftermath of hurricanes. In 2025, Puerto Rican residents experienced an average of 36 hours without power, even excluding major weather events, marking a 19% increase from 2024. This contrasts sharply with mainland US customers, who typically endure only about two hours of outages annually under similar metrics. Major events further compounded the island's power disruptions, adding an additional 23 hours of outages. While an increase in battery storage capacity is undeniably beneficial, the magnitude of the supply deficit remains a critical factor. A regulatory submission in April by participating aggregators indicated that the current program, with its approximately 50 MW of four-hour capacity, was insufficient to avert all rolling blackouts in 2025 when supply gaps exceeded this threshold. Consequently, there is an ongoing drive to enroll more batteries into the program to fortify its ability to address more significant power shortfalls and enhance overall grid resilience.

The strategic deployment and continuous expansion of Sunrun's residential battery network represent a vital step towards energy independence and stability for Puerto Rico. This innovative approach not only empowers individual homeowners by providing financial incentives and reliable backup power but also fundamentally transforms the island's energy landscape, moving it towards a more resilient, distributed, and sustainable model.