Jaguar has officially announced plans to manufacture a range of electric vehicles at its Castle Bromwich facility in the UK, with the next-generation all-electric Jaguar XJ serving as the inaugural model in this initiative.
On the same day the curtain closed on the current-generation Jaguar XJ’s production run, Jaguar Land Rover revealed its plans.
Jaguar has announced that its new electric SUV, dubbed the XJ, will be developed by the same team responsible for the successful Jaguar I-PACE. Jaguar’s Birmingham-based factory, currently known as Castle Bromwich, will undergo a transformation to become the UK’s first dedicated facility for producing premium electrified vehicles, supporting the development of Jaguar’s new Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) electric-vehicle capable platform.
An earlier report suggested that a potential electric Land Rover model could be built on the same new platform, but for now, JLR has only officially confirmed an electric XJ. During the company’s official unveiling, CEO Ralf Speth took centre stage to share his vision.
The future of mobility lies in electrification, and as a pioneering UK-based company, we’re committed to shaping the next generation of emission-free vehicles within our own borders. We are co-locating our electric vehicle manufacturing facility, Digital Drive Models, with our battery production site, creating a significant hub for electrification in the Midlands region.
Jaguar is seeking collaboration between authorities and industry to drive large-scale battery production in the country, citing a need to establish a robust supply chain and reduce reliance on critical global imports for battery materials.
The company’s latest statement has alleviated concerns surrounding potential job cuts amidst the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit. Jaguar’s plans to manufacture a brand-new XJ model, along with its electric vehicle offerings, are set to secure hundreds of jobs. The automaker unveiled layoffs earlier this year; however, these were non-production roles, sparing the assembly line workforce.
By 2020, Jaguar anticipates offering electrified options across its entire portfolio of new Jaguar and Land Rover models. The corporation’s upcoming Battery Meeting Centre is slated to go live next year, while the timeline for introducing its electric XJ model remains uncertain.
Following the unveiling of the latest XJ model, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the proportion of electric vehicles that will be produced at the Castle Bromwich plant moving forward?
Last month, the automaker announced that it was partnering with BMW to develop the next generation of electric powertrains.
