Tata Motors-owned JLR to build range of new electrified cars in the UK

Tata Motors-owned  Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to manufacture a range of new electric vehicles at its manufacturing plant in Castle Bromwich, UK, safeguarding thousands of jobs. The announcement is the next significant step in delivering on the company’s commitment to offer customers electrified options for all new Jaguar and Land Rover models from 2020, the company said in a statement.

Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “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."

“We are co-locating our electric vehicle manufacture, Electronic Drive Units and battery assembly to create a powerhouse of electrification in the Midlands.” The first new electric car to be produced at the plant will be Jaguar’s flagship luxury saloon, the XJ. The choice of business leaders, celebrities, politicians and royalty for over five decades and through eight generations of production, the XJ is designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK and has been exported to more than 120 countries, it said.

This was announced at Castle Bromwich as production of the current XJ came to an end. Credited with pioneering a range of industry-first innovations during its 50 years of production, the new XJ will build on the characteristics synonymous with its predecessors - beautiful design, intelligent performance and revered luxury.

The new all-electric model will be created by the same expert team of designers and product development specialists responsible for delivering the premium electric SUV, and 2019 World Car of the Year, the Jaguar I-PACE.

The announcement is the next stage in execution of Jaguar Land Rover’s car electrification strategy. In January, the company confirmed plans to bring battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU) assembly to the Midlands with investment in new and existing facilities. These investments have been anticipated in the company’s previously communicated capital investment plans. 

The new Battery Assembly Centre at Hams Hall, operational in 2020, will be the most innovative and technologically advanced in the UK with an installed capacity of 150,000 units, it said.