Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced that its Merseyside production plant will be converted into the company’s first all-electric facility. The move is part of a global investment of £15 billion in electric vehicles over the next five years. The facility will manufacture a fully electric Range Rover SUV, which will be available for purchase in 2025.
According to JLR CEO Adrian Mardell, the investment will allow the company to deliver on its “modern luxury electric future” and reaffirm its commitment to being carbon-neutral by 2039. Knowsley Council praised the move, calling it a “major coup” for the local workforce and demonstrating the importance of the site.
The announcement comes after JLR reduced output at its Halewood and Solihull plants in November 2021 due to ongoing issues obtaining enough computer chips for new vehicles. The company also announced that its new Jaguar models would be assembled at its Solihull plant. Meanwhile, the company’s existing engine manufacturing facility in Wolverhampton will be renamed the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre and transformed into a hub for building electric motors. It will manufacture electric drive units and battery packs for Jaguar Land Rover’s next-generation vehicles.
JLR’s Castle Bromwich plant will produce bodywork for next-generation electric vehicles while the company investigates other uses for the site.
Knowsley Council said it was “delighted” that Halewood’s 3,700 employees would be “spearheading” the transition to all-electric production, putting the site “at the very heart of the company’s future plans.” The council also stated that the investment would not only benefit the thousands of locals employed by JLR in Halewood but would also open up numerous opportunities for the workforce of the future.
The decision to convert the Merseyside plant to an all-electric facility represents an important step toward JLR’s goal of producing only electric vehicles by 2025. In addition, the company has pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its supply chain, products, and operations by 2039.
JLR’s investment in electric vehicles aligns with the UK government’s goal of prohibiting the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2030. The government’s plan to phase out fossil-fuel vehicles is part of the government’s overall strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
Finally, JLR’s £15 billion investment in electric vehicles represents a significant step toward the company’s goal of producing only electric vehicles by 2025. The conversion of the Merseyside plant to an all-electric facility demonstrates the company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and combating climate change. The investment is also a significant boost for the local workforce and demonstrates the site’s importance to JLR’s future plans.
