By Nick Carey
LONDON (Reuters) – Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will produce an electric version of its signature Defender vehicle as part of plans to launch nine fully electric models by 2030, it said on Thursday, with manufacturing based at its plant in Slovakia.
The British carmaker, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, said earlier this year it will invest 15 billion pounds ($18.1 billion) over the next five years to develop electric vehicles, with a new electric Jaguar coming in 2025.
The luxury carmaker did not provide a specific timeline for the new electric Defender’s launch. Its plant in Nitra, Slovakia, which opened five years ago and employs around 5,000 people, produces the current Defender model.
So far JLR has announced plans to produce six Range Rover and Jaguar electric models in the UK by 2030 at its plants in Solihull and Halewood.
($1 = 0.8275 pounds)
(Reporting By Nick Carey; Editing by Jan Harvey)
