Jaguar Land Rover BOOSTS spending to move to ELECTRIC
Jaguar Land Rover is boosting spending to move away from its dependence on diesel-engined cars and towards a future of electrified Jaguars, Land Rovers and Range Rovers.
With the world and his dog falling out with diesel after Dieselgate, and the revelation that emissions controls which switch off at the slightest excuse seem to be prevalent across the industry, JLR’s UK and European sales are struggling to cope with a lack of demand.
JLR’s sales have been 87 per cent diesel recently, and something needs to be done before it becomes an existential problem for the car maker. Unsurprisingly, JLR are turning to electric cars as their route to recovery from diesel downturns.
Having already promised every car in the Jaguar and Land Rover ranges will have an electrified version by 2020 – and the arrival of the impressive Jaguar I-Pace – JLR are now upping the game with a 25 per cent increase in investment in the next three years to drive an electric revolution.
The plan seems to be to offer every model in the range of both Jaguar and Land Rover with either a petrol engine or a hybrid (we assume plug-in hybrid) and, if the demand is there, a full BEV electric version too. How JLR will judge the demand they haven’t said.
But in preparation for an electric-based future model range, JLR is spending big to ensure all their Plants in the UK can produce vehicles with the new powertrains.
With diesel showing no signs of ever recovering from the current woes, a move to an even more aggressive electrification plan at JLR does make sense. But does it also mean the Jaguar I-Pace will be a one-hit wonder, with future Jaguars being electric versions of its main model range?
Mark Geller says
They are in the same boat as every car maker in European, especially there where diesels are now in the crapper. The move to plugs as an alternative was seen early by BMW, now all will have to offer a plug in every model at prices that are a fair increase. We will all be better for it.