Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed plans to build an all-electric version of the XJ saloon at its Castle Bromwich facility - securing the jobs of 2,700 UK-based workers.
(Image via Autocar)
The West Midlands factory was previously considered to be at risk as JLR began a cost cutting program based on uncertainty around Brexit. However this latest announcement suggests that the firm could not wait to see the outcome of Brexit before updating its range.
The firm has not yet announced how much will be invested in the plant following this decision, but the figure is expected to be in the hundreds of millions of pounds. They confirmed that the new XJ will replace the petrol and diesel versions, which have been in production since 1968.
"The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK," said Prof. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive of Jaguar Land Rover.
(Image via JLR)
In addition to allowing the company to rely on the experience of its current workforce, basing production of the new electric XJ at Castle Bromwich will take advantage of close proximity to JLR’s electric motor factory in Wolverhampton and battery pack production site in Warwickshire.
According to Speth, the proximity of the three facilities will allow the company “to create a powerhouse of electrification in the Midlands”.
“Affordability will only be achieved if we make batteries here in the UK, close to vehicle production, to avoid the cost and safety risk of importing from abroad. The UK has the raw materials, scientific research in our universities and an existing supplier base to put the UK at the leading edge of mobility and job creation.”
The last of the current XJ model will roll of the lines on Friday. The company will then switch to production of the new model over the summer, saying that the car will be the most “technologically advanced” in the UK. They have not yet announced when the electric XJ saloon will be available to buy.
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