Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has unveiled the Range Rover Electric, its first fully electric luxury SUV, with production underway at its manufacturing plant in Solihull, West Midlands.
The company said the launch is accompanied by a sweeping transformation of the plant and several other sites across the West Midlands, encompassing new battery and electric drive unit production lines, as well as a comprehensive reskilling programme for staff ahead of the shift to electrification.
Workforce upskilling and new production lines
Some 9,000 employees in Solihull have been upskilled for electrification and a further 1,500 have been trained across the West Midlands, while JLR's Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton now produces battery packs and electric drive units alongside internal combustion engines.
The transformation includes new battery and electric drive unit production lines at the Solihull site, marking a significant shift in the company's manufacturing operations.
Leadership comments on the new model
Martin Limpert, managing director of Range Rover, said: "Range Rover Electric is the result of a decade of considered engineering and technological development, setting a new benchmark for the original luxury SUV."
He added: "We took our testing and development programmes even further than originally intended to ensure Range Rover Electric is genuinely the most accomplished Range Rover ever."
Engineering focus and performance
Matt Becker, JLR's vehicle engineering director, said: "The defining characteristic of Range Rover Electric is its ability to perform across every surface, with effortless comfort and refinement."
He continued: "We've worked tirelessly to ensure it retain those qualities."
The launch marks a major milestone for the company as it transitions towards electrification, with the Solihull plant at the heart of the production effort.
