JLR commits to UK for EV production

1 July 2019

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is to announce plans to build electric vehicles (EVs) in its English Castle Bromwich factory.

An all-electric version of its XJ luxury saloon will be one of three vehicles to be made under the new plans, according to The Sunday Times. The new vehicles will reportedly be able to travel 300 miles on a single charge.

JLR recently partnered with BMW to develop EV technologies. The two carmakers will share research, production planning and will jointly buy EV components.

BMW board member Klaus Froehlich said: ′Together, we have the opportunity to cater more effectively for customer needs by shortening development time and bringing vehicles and state-of-the-art technologies more rapidly to market.’

Committing production to the UK in such a way is encouraging for the 2,500 workers based in Castle Bromwich, and also provides a rare bright spot for the UK automotive industry amidst Brexit dealings.

Brexit uncertainty

News that JLR would be moving production its Land Rover Discovery to Slovakia sparked rumours that the company was turning away from the UK in the wake of Brexit

′This significant investment and technology upgrade in Solihull in order to accommodate our next-generation of flagship Land Rover models, and the refit of our Halewood plant for the next Evoque, is proof that we remain committed both to the UK and to transformation and growth,’ the manufacturer said in a statement.

The company recently cut 1,000 jobs across two of its UK plants, Solihull and Castle Bromwich. The company is struggling in the face of lower consumer confidence as the UK negotiates its exit from the EU, together with the decline in diesel sales, a technology that accounts for most of the manufacturer’s sales.

JLR also cut decreased production in its Harewood plant – the downturn was blamed on both Brexit and tax increases diesel vehicles through the country’s vehicle excise duty (VED) scheme.