"""

New milestone in the electric transition

Range Rover Electric has been unveiled to the public, arriving a year behind the planned launch date. The model, which JLR plans to build in Solihull, stands out as an important milestone in the brand’s move toward electrification. The launch comes at a time when the company is facing weaker profitability, supply-chain problems and pressure to restructure.

JLR said it has carried out extensive modernisation across its facilities in the West Midlands to support the transition. As part of preparations for electric vehicle production, the company has upgraded its production lines and expanded workers’ technical skills.

Production and workforce readiness

  • 10,500 employees have been retrained for electric production processes.
  • About 9,000 workers in Solihull received training for the switch to electric vehicles.
  • An additional 1,500 people were trained across the region.

Profit pressure and operational issues continue

For the Coventry-based manufacturer, the launch comes in the middle of a financially challenging period. JLR’s first-quarter profit fell to £66 million after a fire at a key supplier in Norway affected output. The company is also dealing with disruption caused by a cyberattack last year that halted production for more than a month.

As part of its restructuring, the company also confirmed that fewer than 300 positions will be cut. Even so, JLR says it is continuing its modernisation programme with new product launches, while acknowledging the impact of geopolitical developments, inflation and regulatory pressure on the industry.

Battery and electric power unit capacity in focus

The company’s Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton has started producing battery packs and electric power units alongside internal combustion engines. This added capacity not only supports production of the new model, but also shows that JLR is reshaping its supply and manufacturing chain for electric vehicles.

Range Rover managing director Martin Limpert described the new model as the result of nearly a decade of engineering work. From an economic perspective, the launch shows that JLR is trying to preserve its EV investment timetable despite shrinking profits, while keeping its push to accelerate the transformation of the UK automotive industry.

"""