One of Simon's videos reviewing the 2026 Defender Trophy Edition shows a hump in the cargo area in the back, and Simon states it is the plug in hybrid. I asked my dealer about news of the 2026 plug in hybrid Defenders coming to the US market and he did not have any information. Does anyone know if we will be getting a plug in hybrid in the US?

 

I've heard that the PHEV might be coming to the US as part of the Trophy Edition.

But when I go to the US builder, it's showing me "Ingenium 3,0 liter 6-cylinder 395 Hp Turbocharged Gas MHEV" which looks like the P400 and not the P400e.

 

PHEV hasn't been certified for the US, and it is highly unlikely we'll get it here, at least in this generation. Since it is on an old platform, it doesn't have the power or range of the new platform PHEV powertrains in the new RR & RRS.

 

I bet we don't see one in the US until 2028 or later. Doesn't seem like anyone really is in a hurry to get one over here. I wanted a plug in hybrid X5 so bad and I almost ordered one over the Defender but those models were having so many problems with marrying the two technologies together. I decided to hold off, it would be nice but it probably could use a couple more years to cook. It's not a Toyota

 

Too bad it has not been certified for the US. I love our PHEV P550e Range Rover, and we constantly get close to 60 miles in EV mode, and about 40-45 in extremely cold temps.

 

Bad time to buy a PHEV L663. Last years model was a P400e. 300 hp 4-cyl + 100 hp electric motor. Now it’s a P300e. Same 4-cyl but detuned to 200 hp. So when the battery runs out on longer trips - it doesn’t in the city (our friends have one) - you’ll be left with 200hp in a 2.4 tonne car.
why landrover

 

Because of ever-increasing stringent European emissions standards. That's why.

 

That is dumb for them to detune a fine P300 engine to 200. I wonder if they would do that for the US market when they decide to bring it in.

 

Sure, but they’re illogical. Our mates P400e drives 95% of the time on EV. And plus, a less powerful engine would have to run at higher RPMs more of the time which would theoretically produce more emissions.

 

Not necessarily. All depends on how you drive it. If you drive it normally in EV & hybrid mode, it'll be cleaner than the previous one. If you're always Mr. Leadfoot everywhere, it won't be as efficient as the last one, because it does have to work harder.

Unfortunate that Defender isn't on the MLA-Flex platform as the new RR & RRS. The I6 PHEV powertrain in those are fantastic. You get between 460-550 horsepower depending on the model, and over 50 miles of EV-only range while having a much more refined engine.