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The UK-headquartered luxury carmaker has laid out plans for an ambitious new electric suite of Jaguars and Land Rovers in closer alignment with Indian owner Tata Motors.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been a wholly owned subsidiary of India’s Tata Motors, in which Tata Sons is the largest shareholder, since 2008.
As new chief executive Thierry Bolloré takes the reins of the UK-headquartered luxury carmaker, it comes with a brand-new Reimagine strategy for Britain’s largest automotive manufacturer that has a clear electric focus and closer alignment within the Indian conglomerate.
The new strategy centres around the electrification of both Land Rover and Jaguar brands, on separate architectures with two clear and unique personalities. It also involves curating closer collaboration and knowledge-sharing with Tata Group companies, to enhance sustainability and reduce emissions as well as sharing best practice in next-generation technology, data and software development leadership.
Bolloré, a veteran in the industry who was previously with France’s Renault, said: “We have so many ingredients from within. It is a unique opportunity.
“Others have to rely solely on external partnerships and compromise, but we have frictionless access that will allow us to lean forward with confidence and at speed.”
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, noted: “The Reimagine strategy takes Jaguar Land Rover on a significant path of acceleration in harmony with the vision and sustainability priorities of the wider Tata Group.
“Together, we will help Jaguar realise its potential, reinforce Land Rover’s timeless appeal and collectively become a symbol of a truly responsible business for its customers, society and the planet.”
JLR has set its mission to be one of the most profitable and sustainable luxury manufacturers in the world. Jaguar and Land Rover will offer pure electric power, nameplate by nameplate, by 2030. By this time, in addition to 100 per cent of Jaguar sales, it is anticipated that around 60 per cent of Land Rovers sold will be equipped with zero tailpipe powertrains.
“Jaguar Land Rover is unique in the global automotive industry. Designers of peerless models, an unrivalled understanding of the future luxury needs of its customers, emotionally rich brand equity, a spirit of Britishness and unrivalled access to leading global players in technology and sustainability within the wider Tata Group,” said Bolloré.
“We are harnessing those ingredients today to reimagine the business, the two brands and the customer experience of tomorrow. The Reimagine strategy allows us to enhance and celebrate that uniqueness like never before. Together, we can design an even more sustainable and positive impact on the world around us,” he said.
The company is also preparing for the expected adoption of clean fuel-cell power in line with a maturing of the hydrogen economy. Development is already underway with prototypes arriving on UK roads within the next 12 months as part of the long-term investment programme.
Sustainability that delivers a new benchmark in environmental and societal impact for the luxury sector is fundamental to the success of Reimagine, the automotive major said. A new centralised team will be empowered to build on and accelerate pioneering innovations in materiality, engineering, manufacturing, services and circular economy investments. Annual commitments of £2.5 billion will include investments in electrification technologies and the development of connected services to enhance the journey and experiences of customers, alongside data-centric technologies that will further improve their ownership ecosystem.
It also comes as good news for UK manufacturing, as the strategy means Jaguar Land Rover will retain its plant and assembly facilities in the home UK market and around the world. As well as being the manufacturer of the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) architecture, Solihull, West Midlands will also be the home to the future advanced Jaguar pure electric platform
The carmaker’s current model range covers fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild-hybrid vehicles, as well as the latest diesel and petrol engines. In 2020, the auto giant sold 425,974 vehicles in 127 countries.
Sustainability that delivers a new benchmark in environmental and societal impact for the luxury sector is fundamental to the success of Reimagine, the automotive major said. A new centralised team will be empowered to build on and accelerate pioneering innovations in materiality, engineering, manufacturing, services and circular economy investments.
Land Rover covers luxury SUVs across three ranges – Range Rover, Discovery and Defender. And, Jaguar is dubbed the first-ever brand to offer a premium all-electric performance SUV, the Jaguar I-PACE.
JLR prides itself as a British company, with two major design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an Engine Manufacturing Centre and a Battery Assembly Centre in the UK. It also has vehicle plants in India, China, Brazil, Austria and Slovakia and its technology hubs are spread across Manchester, Warwick and London in the UK, with additional sites in Ireland, the US, Budapest, Hungary and China.
Keen to mark his stamp as the new man in charge, Bolloré added: “As a human-centred company, we can, and will, move much faster and with clear purpose of not just reimagining modern luxury but defining it for two distinct brands.
“Brands that present emotionally unique designs, pieces of art if you like, but all with connected technologies and responsible materials that collectively set new standards in ownership. We are reimagining a new modern luxury by design.”