Range Rover Introduces First Fully Electric Model

Range Rover has launched its first fully electric model, the Range Rover Electric, after a year-long delay. The vehicle will be manufactured in Solihull as part of a significant shift in the company's electrification strategy, which includes extensive upgrades at its West Midlands facilities. Parent company Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reported that it has trained 10,500 workers for electric vehicle production, continuing its modernization efforts despite facing financial challenges and planned job reductions. The launch coincides with JLR experiencing declining profits, supply chain issues, and a restructuring process following a cyber attack last year. The company has established new battery and electric drive unit production lines and has trained approximately 9,000 employees in Solihull, with an additional 1,500 trained across the region. JLR's Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton is now producing battery packs and electric drive units alongside traditional internal combustion engines. Martin Limpert, managing director of Range Rover, described the new model as the culmination of a decade of careful engineering. JLR's electric vehicle rollout follows a challenging year, with profits falling to £66 million in the first quarter, partly due to a fire at a key supplier in Norway. The company is also undergoing restructuring, with plans to reduce its workforce by fewer than 300 positions less than a year after a cyber attack disrupted production for over a month. JLR stated that new product launches would position the company favorably while recognizing ongoing geopolitical, inflationary, and regulatory challenges in the automotive industry.