Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK-based luxury car maker, has announced a major investment plan of £15 billion over the next five years. The investment will be backed up by a Gigafactory planned by Indian parent company Tata Group in Europe. JLR CEO Adrian Mardell has confirmed that the company’s plant in Halewood, north-west England, will become an all-electric production facility. He reaffirmed the firm’s commitment to the Reimagine strategy, which will reposition the luxury car manufacturer as an electric-first company by 2030.

Mardell also revealed that JLR would be the anchor customer of the Tata Group’s proposed Gigafactory. Tata Group plans to build the Gigafactory in Europe, but the final destination has not yet been chosen. JLR will not be building the Gigafactory itself, as it is not within their plans. Mardell clarified that the important thing is that their underpinning of battery supply is in-house. They are the anchor customer and have equity in ensuring that the right decisions are made. Wherever the factory goes, it will be an optimised proposal for JLR.

JLR, which utilises the Tata Group’s software capabilities in Bangalore and has a vehicle and assembly plant in Pune, reiterated its commitment to work closely on its synergies with the parent group. As an anchor customer of the Gigafactory, JLR will benefit from frictionless collaborations within the Tata family. This means that they can explore and develop the latest advanced battery technologies in-house, noted Barbara Bergmeier, executive director, industrial operations, at JLR.

JLR is accelerating its “electrification path” by making one of its UK plants geared towards the next-generation medium-size luxury SUV architecture fully electric. They are also moving towards a net-zero carbon target by 2039. The company said it is making strides towards its financial goals of achieving a net cash-positive position by the financial year of 2025.

JLR confirmed that it would start inviting applications for client orders for the modern luxury all-electric Range Rover later this year. The first of its next-generation medium-size modern luxury SUVs will be an all-electric model from the Range Rover family, launching in 2025 and built in the UK. JLR’s investment plan and the Gigafactory planned by Tata Group in Europe demonstrate the company’s commitment to a sustainable future and the transition towards electric vehicles.