Concept car

US auto giant Ford has taken the wraps off a new Land Rover hybrid concept car.

The so-called LRX hybrid concept is described as a cross-coupé, and though it's 5.9in (149mm) shorter than the LR2/Freelander 2 and 8.1in (205mm) lower, it was conceived to appeal to new customers in the luxury and executive sector.

The LRX's 2.0-litre, turbodiesel hybrid is capable of running on bio-diesel, and Ford claims that this feature, In combination with other Land Rover technologies, could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30 per cent compared with other SUVs of comparable size, and reduce emissions to approximately 120g/km.

The concept’s integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) allows the LRX to use electric drive alone at lower speeds while retaining full (even improved) sport utility ability in tough conditions. Unlike the hybrid technology used by some SUV rivals, Land Rover’s solution retains mechanical drive to all four wheels.

Off-road, the ERAD  provides additional torque only when it is needed, whilst on the road, it allows low-speed traffic creep up to 20mph (32km/h) on electric power alone, with the Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG) function re-starting the engine automatically when needed. The electric drive  then continues to assist the mechanical drive until the engine is running in its most efficient range.