Jaguar Land Rover Announces $18.6B EV Transition

A new EV Jaguar is coming, but the carmaker is bailing on internal combustion engines yet.

Jaguar Land Rover last week announced aggressive plans to spend more than $18.6 billion (£15 billion) over the next five years to boost the automaker's industrial footprint. 

Part of the investment will be used to transition the company's Halewood plant in Merseyside, England, into an all-electric production facility. JLR also plans for its next generation medium-size SUV architecture, the electrified modular architecture, to be pure-electric. The new EV SUV will be part of the Range Rover line, made in Halewood and debut in 2025. 

The move is part of JLR's "Reimagine strategy" announced two years ago, which will position the company as an electric-first, modern luxury carmaker by 2030.

Since announcing the Reimagine strategy, the company has launched luxury Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models that are experiencing record demand, according to the company. 

While the electrified modular architecture will be electric only, JLR will still offer internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and battery electric vehicle (BEV) options for Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models. The hedge gives the carmaker the ability to adapt its vehicle line up to meet the needs of different markets around the world, which are evolving at different speeds.

JLR is also changing up the Jaguar and announced a few details on a new EV Jag with a 430-mile range that will start around $124,500 (£100,000). The company hopes to launch the premium EV in 2025 and use it to propel the company forward as a modern luxury business. 

As part of the EV switch, JLR will change its Engine Manufacturing Center in Wolverhampton to the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Center. The facility currently makes Ingenium internal combustion engines for the company's vehicles, but will retool to make electric drive units and battery packs for nextgen vehicles. 

The company is also expanding its stamping facilities in Castle Bromwich that prepare pressed body metalwork for JLR’s vehicles.

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