Last year, Land Rover filed a patent for the name 'Road Rover,' fueling rumors the automaker was developing a luxury sedan to take on the mighty Mercedes S-Class. Since then, reports have claimed the Road Rover will be an electric wagon that will compete with the likes of the Audi A4 Allroad and Volvo V90 CrossCountry. At one point, it looked like the Road Rover project had been scrapped, but Autocar claims it will go on sale in 2021 with a new body style.

In fact, the Road Rover will be a luxury electric crossover and Land Rover's most road-focused model yet. Despite this, it will still offer more off-road capability than its rivals, just as you would expect from a Land Rover.

Company documents describe the new model as a "medium SUV," so expect it to rival the next-generation Porsche Macan EV and the upcoming Audi e-tron Sportback.

In terms of size, the Road Rover will slot between the Range Rover Evoque and Velar but will reportedly have a lower roofline and a smaller front area than its siblings to optimize fuel economy and electric range. It will ride on an EV version of Land Rover's new flexible Modular Longitudinal Platform, which will also underpin the next-generation Jaguar XJ flagship sedan. This electric architecture also means it should offer more cabin space than the Velar.

While Land Rover trademarked the Road Rover name, the electric SUV's final name still hasn't been confirmed. Jaguar's new EV platform can house underfloor batteries and up to two motors on each axle, enabling the electric Road Rover to have all-wheel drive.

Performance and range details remain unknown, but the electric platform is designed to house batteries up to 90.2kWh, offering around 290 miles of range. While there will no longer be an all-electric version of the new Land Rover Defender, a plug-in hybrid version will join the lineup.