Yahoo Finance Jaguar Land Rover aims to shift to all-electric brand by 2030
Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to become an all-electric brand by 2030, adding that its first electric Land Rover vehicle will go on sale in three years time.
The UK car manufacturer, which is owned by Indian conglomerate Tata (TTM), aims to produce net zero carbon emissions by 2039 as it “substantially reduces and rationalises” non-manufacturing infrastructure in the UK.
New boss Thierry Bollore, who took the helm in July last year and is a former head of auto rival Renault, said all JLR vehicles will have electric options by the end of the decade as the company seeks to meet the UK government’s ban on pure internal combustion engine cars in 2030.
The Land Rover brand will launch a total of six all-electric cars within the next five years, although it will continue to offer hybrid vehicles, combining internal combustion engines with batteries, until around 2036.
Britain’s biggest carmaker, which employs 30,000 people in the UK, is also developing hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars in anticipation of future demand for cars powered by the gas.
The so-called “reimagine” strategy – which was designed to emphasise “quality over volume” – will open the doors to further collaborations with other carmakers.
Bollore hinted that the future Jaguar Land Rover line-up would "feature a few less nameplates" as it focuses on its more popular models.
“Jaguar Land Rover is unique in the global automotive industry,” Bollore said. “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.
“We are harnessing those ingredients today to reimagine the business, the two brands and the customer experience,” he said.
READ MORE: Jaguar Land Rover stages recovery in last quarter of 2020
In November last year, luxury carmaker Bentley also revealed plans to go green in the next 10 years, switching its fossil fuel model range to a full electric vehicle line.
The company, owned by Volkswagen (VOW.DE), has committed to being an “end-to-end carbon neutral organisation,” aiming to offer only plug-in hybrid or battery electric cars by 2026.
Part of its new “Beyond100 plan”, it aims to be completely carbon neutral across its manufacturing by 2030 as its German owners continue to pump billions of euros into EV technology.
The move will mean Bentley will retire its famous 12-cylinder petrol engines, with workers on internal combustion technology to be redeployed within the company.
That same month UK prime minister Boris Johnson announced a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 - five years earlier than planned.
It followed the PM already moving the deadline to ban new petrol and diesel-powered cars from 2040 to 2035 in February last year.
The government is set to provide around £500m ($695m) funding for charging infrastructure from next year as the UK aims to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero by 2050.
WATCH: The spark behind the electric car
