Jaguar Land Rover Halts Domestic ICE Production, Shifts to EV Contract Manufacturing

On July 6, 2024, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealers in China halted orders for all domestically produced models of the brand. This move came four months after the last Range Rover Evoque L rolled off the production line at Chery Jaguar Land Rover’s Changshu plant. Since domestic production began in 2015, JLR’s locally made vehicles have consistently incurred losses at dealerships, with an average loss of approximately RMB 30,000 per vehicle over the past decade. Sales in China peaked at 146,000 units in 2017 but have since declined steadily, with projected deliveries for 2025 expected to fall to around 26,000 units—a year-on-year drop of over 20% and a decline of more than 80% from the peak. Meanwhile, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China’s premium car market has already surpassed 50%, yet NEVs account for less than 5% of JLR’s sales in China, revealing a significant gap in its product lineup. The Changshu plant remains operational but has shifted its role, now exclusively producing vehicles for FREELANDER, a new electric brand. FREELANDER is jointly owned by Chery and Jaguar Land Rover on a 50:50 equity basis, with JLR responsible for design aesthetics and brand output, while Chery leads product definition, technology strategy, and supply chain integration. After 14 years of joint venture cooperation, the partnership is fundamentally restructuring—transitioning from traditional co-production to contract manufacturing.