Jaguar to go all-electric from 2025

JAGUAR Land Rover (JLR) has announced its intentions to become a “net zero carbon business” by 2039 and in doing so, making Jaguar an all-electric brand by 2025.

 

The announcement forms part of the wider ‘Reimagine’ strategy revealed last night by chief executive officer Thierry Bolloré with Jaguar to usher in a completely new zero-emission portfolio and Land Rover to launch six new EVs over the next five years – the first one is due in 2024.

 

According to Mr Bolloré, the move to electric power would “realise” JLR’s “unique potential” with models set to be offered with at least one pure-electric version by the end of the decade.

 

“Jaguar Land Rover is unique in the global automotive industry,” he said.

 

“Designers of peerless models, an unrivalled understanding of the future luxury needs of its customers, emotionally rich brand equity, a spirit of Britishness and unrivalled access to leading global players in technology and sustainability within the wider Tata Group.

 

“We are harnessing those ingredients today to reimagine the business, the two brands and the customer experience of tomorrow.”

 

While it is more than likely Jaguar and Land Rover will continue to share powertrains – internal combustion or electric – brand executives have made it clear the two subsidies will not ride on the same platform so as to emphasise their distinctly different and “unique personalities”.

 

Land Rover’s portfolio will utilise two different architectures, the first being the ‘Modular Longitudinal Architecture’ (MLA) designed specifically to cater for electrified internal combustion powertrains as well as dedicated electric-power.

 

The second architecture, the ‘Electric Modular Architecture’ (EMA) will be “electric-biased” but will also “support advanced electrified ICE”.

 

Jaguar meanwhile will utilise just the single pure electric architecture for its entire future model line.

 

“By consolidating the number of platforms and models being produced per plant, the company will be able to establish new benchmark standards in efficient scale and quality for the luxury sector,” JLR said in statement.

 

“Such an approach will help rationalise sourcing and accelerate investments in local circular economy supply chains.”

 

By 2030, it is hoped and expected that all Jaguar sales will be zero-emission vehicles and around 60 per cent of Land Rover sales with more than just battery-electric powertrains set to be offered.

 

According to the brand, development work is already underway on hydrogen-based powertrains (FCEV) with prototypes expected to be undergoing real-world testing within the next 12 months.

 

More than £2.5 billion ($A4.47b) worth of annual investments will be made in the development of electrification technologies and the development of connected services to “enhance” journeys and user experiences within the new vehicles, including a global launch of the UK-based Pivotal subscription model.

 

Another priority of the Reimagine strategy is the streamlining of JLR’s operations and infrastructure, with the brand set to “substantially reduce and rationalise its non-manufacturing infrastructure in the UK” without closing any of its current plants in the hope of boosting worker and staff efficiencies.

 

Mr Bolloré said that while many brands have to rely “solely on external partnerships and compromise”, JLR’s transformation would be driven from within the Tata Group through closer collaboration and knowledge sharing with fellow brands.

 

“We have so many ingredients from within,” he said.

 

“It is a unique opportunity… we have frictionless access that will allow us to lean forward with confidence and at speed.”

 

Tata Sons, Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover Automotive chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran shared Mr Bolloré’s enthusiasm and said the Reimagine strategy would take JLR on a path of acceleration in keeping with the vision and sustainability priorities of the wider Tata Group.

 

“Together, we will help Jaguar realise its potential, reinforce Land Rover’s timeless appeal and collectively become a symbol of a truly responsible business for its customers, society and the planet,” he said.