JLR confirms investment in UK EV production
05 July 2019
5 July 2019
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has confirmed investment of millions of pounds to build electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK.
The carmaker will reportedly aim to offer an electrified option to all its models from 2020, the majority of which will be built at its Castle Bromwich plant. Production will be kicked off by a full-electric version of the Jaguar XJ. As reported on Monday, the new vehicles will be able to travel 300 miles on a single charge.
′The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK,’ CEO Ralf Speth said in a statement on Friday.
The announcement coincides with the end of production of the current generation of the Jaguar XJ.
Partnering up
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.’
Brexit blues
News that JLR would be moving production of 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.