Jaguar Land Rover Changes Its Name to JLR as It Shifts Focus to EVs

Bryan Hood
·2 min read

Jaguar Land Rover is shaking things up in a big way.

The British automaker announced on Wednesday that it will officially be known as just JLR as it shifts its focus toward battery-powered vehicles. That’s far from all, though, as the company is also spinning off several Land Rover models as their own brands and will start taking pre-orders for the first all-electric Range Rover later this year.

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The name change is the latest step in the automaker’s Reimagine strategy to reposition itself as an “electric-first, modern luxury carmaker” by 2030. The company also announced that it will invest £15 billion (about $18.7 billion) over the next five years upgrading its facilities in the UK to make electric vehicles, according to a press release. JLR’s plant in Halewood on Merseyside will become an all-electric manufacturing facility, while its Engine Manufacturing Center in Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, will now produce electric power trains.

JLR will start taking pre-orders for the first all-electric Range Rover later this year
JLR will start taking pre-orders for the first all-electric Range Rover later this year

Just as consequential may be JLR’s move toward a “House of Brands” approach of marketing and selling its cars and SUV. The company plans to divide its lineup into four distinct brands—Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar. You’ll notice Land Rover missing from that list, but that doesn’t mean that 75-year-old marque is done. In fact, it sounds like new Range Rovers, Defenders and Discoveries will still wear its iconic badging going forward.

“As a House of Brands, Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar step forward as individual brands, projecting their individual purpose, desirability, and personality. Range Rover, Discovery and Defender will continue to be powered by the trust mark of Land Rover,” a JLR spokesperson told Robb Report on Thursday. “The strength of the Land Rover marque is from our architectures to our technologies and world-leading all-terrain capabilities. Land Rover will remain. It is strong, well known and we will use that collective strength to give our brands authenticity and purpose. The Land Rover name remains visible on and in our vehicles, reinforcing our off-road credentials and technology capabilities.”

JLR also shared some tantalizing details about it upcoming wave of EVs. The company will start taking orders for the first all-electric Range Rover later this year. The medium-sized luxury SUV is expected to launch in 2025. It also has plans for three “reimagined” battery-powered Jaguars, the first of which is a four-door grand tourer that will also launch in 2025. More details will be released about the EVs later this year.

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