JLR has signed a multi-year deal to use Fortescue’s Elysia battery intelligence software in its next-generation EVs (electric vehicles) starting with the new Land Rover Range Rover Electric launching later this year. The software will monitor and help enhance the EVs with improved battery longevity, safety, and performance for a better ownership experience via faster charging, improved reliability, and increased range.

“Fortescue’s technology will provide JLR with even greater access to data analytics, integral as we electrify our entire vehicle portfolio by 2030,” said Thomas Mueller, Executive Director of Product Engineering at JLR. “As the industry transitions towards electrification, collaborations such as these are paramount, as we look to further enhance the safety, performance, and lifetime of our batteries.”

This strategic collaboration allows JLR to gain detailed insights into battery conditions, offering specific recommendations to improve performance through software updates.

“Through Fortescue’s breakthrough battery intelligence software, JLR will benefit from a new level of access to battery data and a revolutionary way to monitor its products in the real world, ensuring that every product lives up to the brand’s exceptionally high standards,” said Mark Hutchinson, Fortescue CEO. “The lessons and innovations we have both learned from motorsport are now being applied to the management of battery systems on our roads, unlocking a leading future of EV performance for JLR’s customers.”

Monitoring battery health will support sustainability by making it easier to transition batteries from EVs to second-life applications.

Fortescue’s software uses physics-informed digital twins and probabilistic artificial intelligence to identify and solve battery issues, helping optimize battery performance and safety.

The collaboration is part of JLR’s Reimagine strategy to electrify all its brands by 2030 and achieve carbon net zero by 2039. Fortescue has its own ambitious decarbonization goals, including eliminating Scope 1 & 2 emissions from its operations by 2030.

In April, JLR announced that the first Range Rover Electric prototype vehicles began testing on the frozen lakes of Sweden for cold-temperature calibration assessment in the Arctic Circle. The first images released of the initial all-black prototypes show the modernist design language remains while an uncamouflaged exterior underlines the build quality of the initial prototypes. The release of the first Range Rover Electric vehicles on-road follows a years-long component and virtual development process which is on track to deliver the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created.

Land Rover says that the Range Rover Electric will lead the way for electric propulsion capability, refinement, and luxury travel, with the first vehicle prototypes now deployed at some of the world’s most challenging test locations. The all-electric drivetrain is now being put through its paces at extremes of temperatures, from -40°C in the Arctic Circle to +50°C in the searing deserts of the Middle East.

“Range Rover with electric power means customary Range Rover luxury, refinement, and capability plus near-silent fully electric propulsion, with effortlessly smooth and relaxed journeys,” said Mueller. “To ensure we leave no stone uncovered, we are well underway with our physical testing and development program, all designed at pushing Range Rover Electric to the extremes to ensure its capability remains unparalleled when it reaches you.”

The first tests have focused on the capability of the battery and EDU (electric drive unit), the latter involving vehicle core components like the transmission, electric motor, and power electronics. The battery and EDU will be assembled in-house by JLR in a first for the automaker.

Software developed by JLR enables precise EDU speed control for accurate management of wheel slip, reducing the need for ABS intervention. The system works with the stability control and chassis systems to provide a more refined drive.

Testing on the frozen lakes of Sweden is aimed at confirming that the Range Rover will exceed its already renowned performance on low-grip surfaces and ensuring “unparallelled” all-terrain, all-weather, and all-surface capability, significantly enhancing the driving experience. Rather than a traditional traction control setup based on the ABS unit, the new range-topper’s strategy is to distribute the wheel slip management task to each electric drive control unit, reducing the torque reaction time at each wheel from around 100 ms to as little as 1 ms.