JLR and BMW announce plans for full fleet electrification alongside traditional engines

07 September 2017

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has become the latest manufacturer to announce that it will offer an electrified version of each of its models, planning to do so by 2020.

German manufacturer BMW has also confirmed plans to offer electrified versions of all 13 models in its range, doing so by 2025. The news comes following Volvo’s plans to offer only electric or hybrid cars to the market from 2019. The announcement by JLR highlights how seriously the market is taking the need for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) to be at the forefront of a company’s fleet.

′Every new Jaguar Land Rover model line will be electrified from 2020, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles. Our first fully electric performance SUV, the Jaguar I-Pace, goes on sale next year, said Ralf Speth, CEO of JLR, at its inaugural Tech Fest, a series of debates and a free public exhibition about the future of mobility.

To emphasise its commitment to electric power, JLR showed off the Jaguar E-type Zero, a version of its classic E-type with an electric drivetrain, at the technology fair. The 1968 sports car was restored and reworked at Jaguar’s Classic Works facility and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 5.5 seconds. The car’s electric powertrain, which develops 220kW, was specially designed for the E-type Zero.

JLR is heavily reliant on diesel sales in Europe where the powertrain type has come under fire for high levels of harmful NOx emissions. According to Swedish analysts AID, 96% of Land Rover’s European sales and 84% of Jaguar’s volume in 2016 were diesels. Like most premium automakers, JLR needs diesels to meet EU emissions targets for 2021. The company has already announced a plan together with the UK Government to develop a national EV battery hub in Coventry.

Meanwhile, speaking at a preview event for the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt, Harald KrÜger, chairman of the board of management at BMW, commented: ′We are currently gearing all BMW Group plants towards e-mobility. In the future, we will be able to equip all our models with every drive train. Two flexible vehicle architectures and a flexible production network will allow us to respond quickly and efficiently.

′Let me make one thing very clear: In e-mobility, the BMW Group will also be the leading provider in the premium segment. By 2025, we will offer 25 electrified vehicles – 12 will be fully-electric.’

The German manufacturer has already got a range of electric and hybrid vehicles, including its i3 and i8, and is planning to launch a four-door model to sit between these two vehicles at the show in Frankfurt next week. In August, the company also announced that it would build an electric version of its Mini brand at a plant in Oxford, UK, committing to the country despite concerns over the impact of Brexit on the automotive industry.

With the UK and France banning the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040, both JLR and BMW’s announcements allow them time to develop their drivetrains and gain a position within the electric and hybrid vehicle market.

Photograph courtesy of Jaguar Land Rover