Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Friday said it plans to manufacture a range of new electrified vehicles at its manufacturing plant in UK’s Castle Bromwich, a move that would help safeguard thousands of jobs in the country.

The announcement is the next significant step in delivering on the company’s commitment to offer customers electrified versions for all new JLR models from next year. The new battery assembly centre at Hams Hall, which would be operational next year, will have an installed capacity of 1.5 lakh units. Together with the Wolverhampton Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC), the facilities will power the next generation company’s models.

“The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK,” JLR CEO Ralf Speth said in a statement. The company is co-locating its electric vehicle manufacturing, electronic drive and battery assembly units to create a powerhouse of electrification in the Midlands, he added.

The first new electric car to be produced at the Castle Bromwich plant will be Jaguar’s flagship luxury saloon, the XJ. The company said the move safeguards several thousand jobs in the UK and is the next stage in execution of JLR’s electrification strategy. Last year, JLR had said it would cut jobs in 2019 as part of its wider cost efficiency plans.

In January, the company confirmed plans to bring battery and Electric Drive Unit (EDU) assembly to the Midlands with investment in new and existing facilities. These investments have been anticipated in the company’s previously communicated capital investment plans. Speth said convenience and affordability are the two key enablers to drive the uptake of electric vehicles to the desired levels.

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