iStock.com/teddyleung

Range Rover is set to enter the world of regular cars, with an all-new vehicle tentatively called the Road Rover.

AutoCar was first with news of the car, which has apparently been in development for two years.

The new model may be shown at the Los Angeles motor show towards the end of 2019.

Reports suggest it will feature an all-electric power train, with two motors delivering on-demand all-wheel-drive power.

With a range of around 300 miles, the Road Rover will position itself against leading premium electric vehicles.

However, there are few directly comparable cars on the road right now - meaning JLR is virtually creating a product for a market which doesn’t officially exist.

Audi's E-Tron Sportback, due out in 2019, comes close to the Road Rover in terms of drive train and capability; both are electric off-roaders with 300 mile ranges.

Little is known about the design language of the Road Rover: will it build on the Evoque, or the new Range Rover Velar? Or will it have its own look entirely?

The new Road Rover may appear to be a gamble, but JLR needs to up its electric car sales. New Zero-Emission Vehicle rules in California mean that car makers need to increase their electric vehicle output – in the case of JLR to between 16% and 25% of all sales.

At least nine other US states are following California’s example, so developing the Road Rover seems prudent.

Whether the world needs an all-electric car with off-road capabilities remains to be seen, but JLR is nothing if not ambitious.