---
title: "Jaguar Land Rover Wants to Build an Electric Car in China"
description: "Jaguar Land Rover is planning to build an electric car in China with local partner Chery."
date: "2018-06-28"
modified: "2018-06-28"
authors:
  - name: "Stephen Edelstein"
    job_title: "Weekend Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/stephen-edelstein"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/21820/jaguar-land-rover-wants-to-build-an-electric-car-in-china"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "chery"
  - "China"
  - "Electric Cars"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "EVs"
  - "Jaguar"
  - "Jaguar Land Rover"
---

# Jaguar Land Rover Wants to Build an Electric Car in China

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/03/jaguar-i-pace.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Jaguar Land Rover is planning to build an electric car in China, an executive said in a recent interview with [*Bloomberg*](<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-27/jaguar-land-rover-promises-a-made-in-china-electric-car-soon>). Local production will help JLR tap into the [massive Chinese electric-car market](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/21331/data-shows-that-china-is-buying-more-electric-cars-than-anyone-else-report>), and keep up with other automakers planning similar moves.

JLR already produces the Jaguar E-Pace locally with its Chinese partner Chery Automobile Co. Murray Dietsch, president of the JLR-Chery joint venture, told *Bloomberg* that the same local manufacturing infrastructure will be used to build an electric car, with details to be disclosed within a year.

The only all-electric model in JLR's current lineup is the recently-launched [Jaguar I-Pace](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/21601/the-all-electric-2019-jaguar-i-pace-first-drive-review-so-good-itll-keep-you-up-at-night>), but that could be a candidate for Chinese production. Dietsch said he expects the electric-car market to grow in parallel with the SUV market, predicting that "you will see more battery-electric SUVs in the market in the future."

China is both the world's largest overall new-car market and the largest market for electric cars. Generous government incentives have inflated demand for electric cars and, while the government [may pull back some of those incentives](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/21554/china-pumps-the-brakes-on-electric-car-growth>), stricter emissions standards set to take effect in 2019 will likely prod automakers to build higher volumes of electric vehicles. This is leading multiple automakers to enact ambitious electric-car plans for China.

Audi plans to launch five all-electric and plug-in hybrid models in China by 2022, while Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler is spending 655 million euros ($764 million) to build electric cars in the country, according to *Bloomberg*. Outside of the luxury segment, Ford is [partnering with Chinese firm Zotye Auto](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/15920/ford-partners-with-zotye-to-build-electric-cars-in-china>) on electric cars, and Honda plans to launch a China-specific electric sub-brand, called Everus.

JLR plans to [offer a hybrid or all-electric powertrain in every model](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/14147/jaguar-land-rover-to-offer-electric-or-hybrid-powertrain-on-every-new-model-starting-in-2020>) it makes beginning in 2020, but the automaker will likely lean more heavily on the hybrids. It already makes plug-in hybrid versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, and could fill out much of the rest of its lineup with less-complex mild-hybrid powertrains. But there will still likely be room for at least one more all-electric model alongside the I-Pace.

## Author
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he's not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/SAEdelstein>)