JLR promises a madeinChina electric car soon
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is planning to build an electric vehicle in China as the iconic British manufacturer steps up its game in a fastgrowing market where other luxury marques from Audi to Mercedes-Benz are plowing money to gain leadership.
The automaker, which already makes the gasolinepowered E-Pace compact sport utility vehicle locally with its Chinese partner
Chery Automobile Co., will try to fully use its current capability in the Asian country to produce an EV such as the I-Pace, Murray Dietsch, president of the joint venture, said in an interview Wednesday in the eastern Chinese city of Changshu. The details will be disclosed within a year, he said.
“Our expectation is the penetration of EV will continue to grow more than linearly,” Dietsch said. “With the combination of the enhancement in SUV market and the expectation of higher penetration of battery-electric vehicles, you will see more battery-electric SUVs in the market in the future.” Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors Ltd, is seeking to tap growing demand for electric vehicles in China as the government promotes zero-emission automobiles to fight pollution and cut oil imports. In the race for market share, it faces formidable rivals. Billionaire Elon Musk is already preparing to set up a local Tesla Inc. factory, while Volkswagen AG’s Audi plans five new-energy models for the country by 2022. Daimler AG is spending 655 million euros ($764 million) to make Mercedes EVs with a domestic partner.
BEIJING: