Hybrid Cars reports that the seven Range Rovers have collectively suffered four punctured tires and a cracked windshield but have otherwise not had any breakdowns along what will ultimately be a 9,950-mile journey. Three weeks into the test, the SUVs have averaged more than 40 miles per gallon (based on the slightly more generous European fuel economy standards. Also, if this is a number based on Imperial gallons, then the US mpg would be a more reasonable 33.3 mpg) despite carrying heavy loads, traveling on rough roads and enduring temperatures as high as 110 degrees. Indeed, the SUVs have survived the roads of countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and will skirt the Himalayas before reaching India.
Land Rover first showed off a production version of the Range Rover Hybrid earlier this month at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The model, the first hybrid to be produced by the UK SUV maker, will pair a 3.0-liter turbodiesel with 47-horsepower electric motor, providing 355 horsepower and an official fuel economy rating of about 37 miles per gallon. Land Rover plans on debuting the model overseas and has not disclosed plans to bring it stateside.
