Jaguar pauses UK sales until 2026 amid shift to all-electric line-up

LONDON: Jaguar will halt all new car sales in the UK starting tis month, resuming only in 2026 with the debut of its first all-electric models.

This temporary withdrawal from the UK market marks Jaguar's planned pivot to an exclusively electric portfolio.

Jaguar's move to stop production for a prolonged period is an unusual situation. Some other car makers have stopped production either in toto or on selected models but such inactivity usually lasted only a few months.

Jaguar’s existing models, including the F-Pace, I-Pace and E-Pace, will no longer be available as new in the UK, although global production of these models will continue through late 2024 and early 2025. Production of the electric I-Pace and E-Pace were outsourced to contract assembler Magna Steyr in Austria.

This pause concludes the UK production of key models, which began earlier this year with the cessation of the XE, XF, and F-Type.

The F-Pace, Jaguar's best-selling SUV since its 2016 release, has remained in production for international markets but will cease UK sales by mid-November, said Car Magazine.

Existing UK inventory will only be available as pre-owned vehicles through Jaguar's Approved Pre-Owned program.

In 2021, Jaguar announced plans to become an electric-only brand by 2025, a timeline that remains firm despite slowing EV demand across the industry.

The company’s first new electric model, anticipated as a high-performance four-seat GT with 600hp, is expected in 2025.

This will be followed by a luxury SUV and a large sedan by 2026, all built on Jaguar's bespoke JEA electric vehicle platform, drawing parallels to market models like the Porsche Taycan and Bentley Bentayga.

Jaguar's parent company, JLR, has outlined a significant investment strategy to support this transition.

A £500 million (RM2.8bil) infusion will prepare the Halewood plant in Merseyside as its first all-electric production facility, with the site slated to produce medium-sized electric SUVs, according to Reuters.

Key upgrades at Halewood include advanced EV production lines, 750 autonomous robots, and a cloud-based plant management system.

The UK market shift reflects JLR's strategic emphasis on profitability through high-end, high-margin models rather than volume sales.

Autocar reported that Jaguar sold 21,943 units of the F-Pace globally last year, outperforming all other models combined, but its contributions pale next to the Range Rover and Land Rover brands.

JLR's long-term plan signals a targeted electrification strategy that aims to meet mounting competitive pressures and environmental targets in an increasingly crowded EV marketplace.