JLR is no longer a stranger to EVs. The Jaguar I-Pace has garnered countless awards and the near future will include many more EVs including the next Jaguar XJ.
Jaguar Land Rover has just announced their plans to fully commit to the electrification of many of their products. The next-generation flagship Jaguar XJ will be the next vehicle to benefit from this push and from the expertise acquired through the already highly-appreciated Jaguar I-Pace.
This range of future new electrified vehicles will be assembled at the company’s manufacturing plant in Castle Bromwich, UK. Work to upgrade the plant will begin later this month in order to support Jaguar Land Rover’s next-generation Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA).
Modular is a simple way to put how versatile this platform will be. In fact, this in-house designed building block was conceived to work as a basis for future diesel and petrol power vehicles as well as serving future full-electric and hybrid models.
This bit of news joins the already confirmed plans to bring battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU) assembly to the Midlands. BMW and JLR announced early on last June that they will collaborate on developing the next generation of EDUs. This new Battery Assembly Centre at Hams Hall will be fully operational in 2020 and will have an annual capacity of 150,000 units.
According to JLR, the next XJ “will build on the characteristics synonymous with its predecessors – beautiful design, intelligent performance and revered luxury.” We’ve no doubt it will. We certainly look forward to seeing and driving it.
