Range Rover has officially launched its first fully electric model, marking a significant step in its electrification strategy. The new Range Rover Electric is being produced at Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) manufacturing plant in Solihull, West Midlands, following extensive upgrades to the company's sites.
This launch comes after a year-long delay and represents a pivotal moment for JLR, which has invested in up-skilling its workforce to meet the demands of electric vehicle production. Approximately 10,500 workers have been trained for electric manufacturing, with 9,000 employees in Solihull receiving electrification training and an additional 1,500 trained across the region.
The company's Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton is now producing battery packs and electric drive units, alongside traditional internal combustion engines. This move is supported by new production lines for these key electric components.
The introduction of the electric model occurs as JLR navigates a period of financial pressures, including falling profits, supply chain disruptions, and ongoing restructuring. In the first quarter, profits dropped to £66 million, partly attributed to a fire at a key supplier in Norway. The company is also undergoing restructuring, which involves the reduction of fewer than 300 roles, less than a year after a cyber attack disrupted production for over a month.
Despite these challenges, JLR has stated that new product launches like the Range Rover Electric are positioning the company for the future, acknowledging the continuing geopolitical, inflationary, and regulatory complexities within the automotive industry. Martin Limpert, managing director of Range Rover, described the new model as the culmination of a decade of "considered engineering."