Success can sometimes also be a curse. Jaguar land rover (JLR), owned by the indian tata group for more than six years, is doing better than ever before. The brits celebrate one record year after the next. Sales have more than doubled since 2009.
The brands have no "rotten egg" in the nest. All models, whether sedans, SUVs or sports cars, are well received by customers. The design is right, the image is right, the technology is right. And yet JLR has a problem: meeting the 2021 Brussels CO2 fleet emissions target.
Otherwise there will be severe penalties. For every gram of carbon dioxide too much, the EU has threatened manufacturers with a fine of 95 euros. What sounds like little at first can add up to considerable amounts of tens of millions of euros.
For a long time, both traditional brands were able to lie back comfortably as so-called niche manufacturers. But now, with a combined annual sales volume of more than 500.000 units produced, the puppy protection is over. The 95-gram rule also applies to JLR, which is allowed to deviate upward by a few grams due to the larger weight classes in which most models travel.
Jaguar plans to launch two pure e-models
But even 102 or even 105 g/km are currently light years away from today’s fleet value (178 g/km). Only one vehicle, the jaguar XE with the 163 hp entry-level diesel, achieves 99 g/km. Commendable. But an XJR with a V8 supercharger and 550 hp emits 264 g/km. At land rover, the spread is similar: it ranges from 113 g/km (evoque) to the large range rover with 299 g/km.
Compensation models such as small cars in large numbers or even plug-in hybrids as well as electric vehicles? No such luck. the former will not even be available in the long term, while the latter have a level one urgency.
Instead of bringing the hybrid supercar C-X75 (featured in the bond film "spectre") to production maturity, jaguar has already announced its intention to launch two all-electric models by the end of 2019, a sedan and an SUV.
Jaguar gaining experience in Formula E
The next generation of the XJ would fit into the time frame. The current version has been in production since 2009. The flagship could be positioned as a counterpart to the tesla model S. jaguar has a second iron in the fire with the F-pace SUV (on the market since 2016), which, as an electric variant, would appeal to significantly more customers.
mercedes is also backing the same crossover horse with the series-production version of the EQ and audi with the C-BEV, which will probably be called the Q6 e-tron. Jaguar’s SUV with electric drive (project name J-pace) could carry E-pace on its rear end. At least this designation has been protected.
The British are currently gaining experience with the e-drive in Formula e. Here, jaguar has a team at the start and is using the racing series to drive forward its expertise in the field of electromobility. The knowledge gained naturally also benefits sister company land rover. Initially, it was reported that the off-road brand would take over the plug-in hybrid part only.
Lightweight construction to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions
It is uncertain whether this will remain the case. A BEV (battery electric vehicle) variant is certainly conceivable, perhaps even as a defender, which was discontinued at the beginning of 2016 and is due to be relaunched at dealers in 2019/20. JLR has already developed an e-module (EDM) that can be used for almost any type of transmission and can even be used as a stand-alone drive unit. The British engineers are also working on the 48-volt electrical system.
From 2017, the completely newly developed two-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine from the ingenium family will be available for worldwide sales of plug-in hybrid models. The 296-hp turbo unit is combined with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and is used in the larger models. Evoque and discovery sport, on the other hand, will get a three-cylinder ingenium diesel engine as a plug-in hybrid.
Lightweight construction should also help reduce CO2 emissions. It can be assumed that in the future, every new model that rolls off the production line at JLR will be of all-aluminum construction and will contain at least 75 percent recycled aluminum (internal target values), in order to massively reduce energy costs during production.
Even the defender is made of light metal
No car brand in the world already produces a larger proportion of its portfolio in light metal. Not even the cult off-roader defender is exempt from this, where the classic ladder frame has been abandoned in favor of the PLA (premium lightweight architecture) monocoque, as in the new discovery (market launch: spring 2017).
jaguar land rover still keeps secret where it will manufacture which new models. The new plant in slovakia is available, as is magna steyr in graz as a partner. One is very flexible there, it is said from the British headquarters.
The Jaguar XE has already been moved from solihull to castle bromwich to make way for the F-pace, which will be produced there together with the large aluminum off-road vehicles. Halewood is fully booked up with the evoque, still the bestseller. The cabriolet version has brought a further boost. In germany alone, the open-top lifestyle SUV has boosted the series by 20 percent.
The auto industry is going green – because it has to
The auto industry needs to reinvent itself – and that means new alliances. Dieter zetsche as a guest at the green party – in 2016 it’s possible. Because the groups are changing.