Jaguar Land Rover to manufacture new range of electrified vehicles at UK plant
British automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to manufacture a range of new electric vehicles at its Birmingham plant.
Jaguar Land Rover said that work to upgrade the plant would begin later this month. The first vehicle produced will be a new electric version of the Jaguar XJ, with the previous generation of the vehicle ceasing production on the 5th of July.
“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,” said Prof. Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover. “We are co-locating our electric vehicle manufacture, Electronic Drive Units and battery assembly to create a powerhouse of electrification in the Midlands.”
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In its 5 July press release, the company located the development as part of its overall electrification strategy, saying that from 2020, all Jaguar and Land Rover models will have electrified options.
“Convenience and affordability are the two key enablers to drive the uptake of electric vehicles to the levels that we all need,” said Speth. “Charging should be as easy as re-fuelling a conventional vehicle. Affordability will only be achieved if we make batteries here in the UK, close to vehicle production, to avoid the cost and safety risk of importing from abroad. The UK has the raw materials, scientific research in our universities and an existing supplier base to put the UK at the leading edge of mobility and job creation.”
