Jaguar Land Rover has announced that it will build a new range of electrified vehicles in the UK, with an all-new Jaguar XJ EV set to be the first of these models to be built in the UK.
The firm’s Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands will be the new home of electrified models, with the announcement hoped to safeguard thousands of UK automotive manufacturing roles.
Jaguar already has one EV on sale – the I-Pace SUV, which is built in Graz, Austria – but from next year will start producing an all-electric version of the next-generation XJ luxury saloon. Jaguar promises the next XJ will offer a “beautiful design, intelligent performance and revered luxury”.
Castle Bromwich is where the current XJ is built, with the current model going out of production today following a 10-year production run.
There were fears that the new electric model would no longer be built at the UK factory. However, with this announcement the firm says it will “safeguard thousands of jobs”.
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.”
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The firm has previously confirmed plans to bring the assembly of batteries and electric drive units (EDUs) to the Midlands. There will also be a new battery assembly centre operational from next year in Hams Hall, Warwickshire. This centre, along with the Wolverhampton Engine Manufacturing Centre, will power the next generation of Jaguar Land Rovers.
The announcement comes as part of Jaguar Land Rover’s greater ambition to offer an electrified option for every new Jaguar and Land Rover launched from 2020.
