Land Rover has postponed the launch of the next generation Defender model by at least two years. This new version is expected to include a fully electric modification.
According to the British newspaper The Times, the primary reason for this delay is the need to reduce costs amid the brand's investments in developing new models.
Due to the postponement, the electric Defender is not expected to hit the market before the beginning of the next decade. Meanwhile, Land Rover intends to focus its efforts on other battery-powered models.
By the end of the current year, the brand plans to introduce at least two new electric vehicles. Among them is an electric version of the Range Rover Sport, whose first prototypes have already been shown and which is set to become the most powerful and fastest model in its line. The Range Rover GT is also scheduled for release, which will be fully electric and offer increased passenger capacity within the Range Rover series.
These new vehicles are being developed on the EMA platform, which was originally created exclusively for electric models. However, Land Rover has revised its plans and is now considering the possibility of using hybrid systems for this new architecture.
The compact version of the Defender, which is also under development on the EMA platform, is presumed to follow this strategy and will be available with various powertrain options.