JLR invests £500m to transform Halewood into cutting-edge EV factory.

Jaguar Land Rover, now officially recognised as JLR, is embarking on a groundbreaking journey to revamp its 61-year-old factory located in Halewood, Merseyside. This transformation, with a hefty £500m investment, aims to morph the facility into the “EV factory of the future.”

Established way back in 1963 with the primary goal of producing the Ford Anglia, this historically significant site is undergoing a remarkable makeover to not only accommodate the production of electric Range Rovers but also to continue manufacturing conventional combustion and hybrid versions. The ambitious plan involves producing ICE, PHEV, and BEV models together on the same premises, eventually steering towards making Halewood JLR’s pioneer all-electric production hub.

Over £250m is being poured into brand-new production lines, state-of-the-art machinery, skilled personnel, and cutting-edge digital technology. A further £250m is scheduled to be injected into the project over the forthcoming years.

This substantial investment aligns with JLR’s unwavering commitment to its Reimagine strategy. This strategy envisions incorporating a BEV variant into all their nameplates by 2030, epitomising the company’s evolution into an “electric first, modern luxury carmaker.” Furthermore, the ultimate goal is to achieve carbon neutrality across their entire supply chain, product line, and operations by 2039.

About a year ago, JLR made headlines by announcing a colossal £15bn investment over the next five years to accelerate their transition to an all-electric future. This investment was subsequently ramped up to £18bn in August to fortify the execution of the Reimagine strategy.

While the specific electric models slated for production at Halewood are shrouded in mystery for now, it’s noteworthy that the current production lineup features the Range Rover Evoque and the Discovery Sport in plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid versions.

Last year, the automotive giant disclosed that their inaugural next-generation medium-size luxury SUV would be an all-electric model hailing from the Range Rover family. This model is set to hit the market in 2025 and will be manufactured at the Halewood facility.

Previously speculated to be the fresh iteration of the Velar, this upcoming model will be constructed on the Electric Modular Architecture (EMA), designed to be exclusively electric. This decision represents a pivot from the initial plan of supporting hybrid models as well.

In readiness for the impending launch of the Range Rover Electric, which has already garnered a waiting list of over 41,000 eager individuals, Halewood has undergone a significant expansion by an impressive 32,364 sqm. The revamped plant is primed to roll out mid-sized SUVs built on the new EMA platform, specially designed to accommodate electric vehicles of varying sizes.

Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the plant boasts new EV build lines, 750 autonomous robots, ADAS calibration rigs, laser alignment systems for impeccable part fitting, and state-of-the-art cloud-based digital plant management systems to streamline production operations.

In anticipation of integrating advanced AI-powered autonomous driving capabilities and connected services into their forthcoming vehicle models, Halewood’s facility has been upgraded with new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) calibration rigs. These rigs can accurately gauge ADAS responsiveness, ensuring that each vehicle leaves the plant with the optimal calibration for future autonomous driving.

Barbara Bergmeier, the executive director of industrial operations at JLR, expressed, “Halewood has been the cornerstone of JLR in the Northwest of England for over two decades, churning out iconic vehicles like the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport.

“Halewood will mark our inaugural foray into an all-electric production facility, a testament to the exceptional efforts of our dedicated teams and suppliers who have collaborated to equip the plant with the cutting-edge technology required to deliver our world-class luxury electric vehicles.”