Land Rover to Bring Diesel-Hybrid Range Rover to U.S., Report Says

There’s nothing particuarly new about Land Rover’s development of diesel-hybrid powertrains. The brand’s first foray into the technology was revealed back in 2006, when the Land_e diesel-hybrid concept made its debut. Our first look at the Evoque, the LRX concept from the 2008 Detroit auto show, had a 2.0-liter diesel-hybrid powertrain. Since then, the British manufacturer has been adamant the system has a future. And that future is now, as Land Rover is expected to reveal hybridized Range Rover models at September’s Frankfurt auto show. What wasn’t expected, however, was that the combination of a 3.0-liter diesel and electric motor being available in the States. According to Edmunds, it will be.

Land Rover declined to comment on the report, but such a move makes sense thanks to a confluence of events on the horizon. Come September of 2014, European regulations will demand significant reduction in the emission of nitrous oxides as part of the Euro 6 standards, which will fall closer those to standards in the U.S. The creation of nearly standardized regulations between the U.S. and Europe, in theory, means that more of the nifty compression-ignition lumps that currently aren’t available to us soon will be.

With automakers staring down the throat of ever-tougher CAFE standards in the U.S.—54.5 mpg by 2025—a move to higher-mileage diesels makes sense. Audi and Volkswagen, in particular, have turned to a number of oil-burning options to improve fuel economy, while Chevy and Mercedes-Benz each have introduced new diesels within the past 12 months. The recent uptick of offerings coincides with growth in the diesel market. According to Edmunds, sales of diesel-powered vehicles has grown 24 percent in 2010–2012 versus overall market growth of just 2.75 percent.