We don’t cover every last bit of automotive news, but given Jaguar and Land Rover models appeal to the enthusiast crowd quite a bit, this one’s worth covering. Both brands have announced a huge focus on electrification, with Jaguar’s lineup to become fully electric in relatively short order. Land Rover will follow with electric variants of every model in their lineup, too.
CEO Thierry Bolloré stated that this move is part of a global strategy called “Reimagine,” intended to, uh, reimagine both Jaguar and Land Rover’s presence as brands worldwide.
Jaguar is taking the bigger leap (ugh, puns) forward, with a push to have a fully-electric lineup by 2030. Every new Jaguar will be based on the same fully-electric architecture. Given how impressed Tyler was with his recent review of the 2020 Jaguar I-PACE, this has us looking forward to what’s next.
The flagship Jaguar EV will undoubtedly be a crossover of some sort, given consumer tastes. We do find it odd that Jaguar admits the fully-electric XJ sedan – already in development – will not be a part of this “Reimagine” plan. “Although the nameplate may be retained, the planned Jaguar XJ replacement will not form part of the line-up,” says Jaguar. Here’s hoping that some of the electric Jags will continue to be sedans and fastbacks, as we’d love an electric F-Type.
Land Rover, on the other hand, is not going fully electric for now. Where Jaguar plans to sell 100% electric vehicles in 2030, Land Rover’s plan is to sell about 60% of their off-roaders with “zero tailpipe powertrains.” Land Rover claims six fully-electric variants of their vehicles will be arriving across the Range Rover, Discovery, and Defender lineups, with the first coming in 2024.
Where Jaguar’s EVs will all ride on the same architecture, Land Rover will use two platforms for their future vehicles. The Modular Longitudinal Architecture will allow a variety of internal combustion engines and electric offerings to be built, where the fully-electric Electric Modular Architecture will not allow for any ICE powerplants.
Much as we love a great exhaust note and all the visceral feel that comes with an internal combustion drivetrain, we’re pretty excited for this electrification. Jaguar is a brand that trails in sales figures compared to other luxury makes, and going fully-electric will set the brand apart. Like it or not, a full-EV Jaguar lineup provides a tremendously-clear thesis statement from a brand that currently feels a bit all over the map in its goals and vision.
Meanwhile, Land Rover retaining combustion engines also strikes us as a smart move. Off-roading isn’t as EV-friendly, and for an off-road brand to be taken seriously (even if many owners only off-road when they hop the curb at Starbucks) they must offer vehicles that can go the distance in difficult conditions, where electricity or solar power may be scarce. But, electrifying their lineup in a more moderate way, as with hybridization, can only help both on-road and off. Nobody’s ever sad about better fuel economy and – in the case of off-roading – more torque available from zero RPM.
While we have more gasoline-powered Jaguars and Land Rovers headed our way for review, the news out of the UK is promising as we look to the future.