Range Rover launches first fully electric model
The vehicle is being built at JLR's manufacturing plant in Solihull, in the West Midlands.
Range Rover has revealed its first fully electric model after a year-long delay to the planned launch. The Range Rover Electric, set to be manufactured in Solihull, represents a significant shift in the company's electrification strategy, backed by extensive upgrades at its West Midlands facilities. JLR's parent company announced the up-skilling of 10,500 workers for electric production as it continues its modernization efforts despite recent financial challenges and planned job cuts.
The launch of the electric model coincides with difficulties faced by the Coventry-based automaker, including falling profits, supply chain disruptions, and restructuring following a cyber attack last year. JLR is bolstering its electric production capabilities through new battery and electric drive unit production lines, alongside training around 9,000 employees in Solihull for electrification, and another 1,500 across the region.
Martin Limpert, managing director of Range Rover, described the new model as the culmination of a decade of considered engineering. JLR's electric transition follows a tumultuous year marked by a £66 million loss in the first quarter, due to a fire at a key Norwegian supplier, as well as restructuring plans that will see fewer than 300 jobs lost, less than a year after a cyber attack halted production for over a month.
Despite these challenges, the company remains optimistic, stating that new product launches will position JLR in a strong position while acknowledging the ongoing geopolitical, inflationary, and regulatory challenges facing the industry.
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