Land Rover’s plan to restore sales and fiscal health over the next few years – and set itself on the right low-carbon road – sounds plausible, given how much it achieved in the Tata-owned decade just ended.
It scored bumper sales in many of those years, changed promptly to engines of its own manufacture and is finding ways to counter the demise of diesel.
But big challenges loom. The company has just made more than 4500 people redundant and a big proportion of these were technical experts. Who’s creating the all-new electrified solutions that will be needed at a higher level than ever? Did the departing engineers finish all their work before they turned out the lights?
Land Rover’s other major challenge looks to be build quality. The company has never truly lifted itself out of the quality doldrums. On top of that, it faces a new era of technical complexity. Will new customers keep forgiving unreliability the way loyal customers always have?
Rumours persist that big corporate suitors see JLR as a prime acquisition target and, as the height of the company’s future obstacle emerges, it’s hard to resist the truth of that.
Read more
Join the debate
Vertigo
Powertrain discussion
On the other hand, I've also run two diesel Jaguars, and both had major oil leaks, one of which damaged the running gear, and multiple DPF problems. The switch to hybrids is likely do them a world of good, and should have happened years ago.
My hope is that they fill the technological void left by the Vauxhall Ampera (=Chevy Volt), which IMO had the best hybrid system. Let the electric system do the heavy lifting, with the engine mainly there to extend the range.
jason_recliner
Electric propulsion would suit JLR
Lapps
Efficiency
One major problem LandRover face is aerodynamic efficiency. Electric cars of all types tend to have their aero optimised (for obvious reasons).
Land Rover have made a USP out of having the proportions of a ‘brick outhouse’. Doesn’t go well with the efficiency electrics need for decent range.
Hughbl
Good point Lapps but
The Model X also looks brick-like and it's heavy - but doesn't seem to lack useful range.
CarNut170
No, but Peugeot can....
JLR cannot win at anything - their new owners, PSA, will undoubtedly be able to use the iPace as a springboard to get some wins however.
.
To agree with @Vertigo, pure EVs are undoubtedly more reliable - the powertrain is far simpler.
However, hybrids are substantially more complex than pure ICE vehicles - there's plenty to go wrong. As with all things however - with the right service interval risks can be contained.
With some more widely known issues JLR have had testing their EVs in the field, there's certainly room for unreliability. Here's hoping their engineers have done a good job! (this time).
voyager12
2.5 metric ton weighing SUVs...
that will only add weight because it will need a loooot of batteries (Jag iPace has a 600 kg battery pack with still disappointing range!) is not the way to go. Sometimes I seriously doubt the common sense of car journalists. That's why I was actually looking fwd to what Dyson would bring... Another MeToo SUV. Dyson as an appliance producer had the rare opportunity to make the car appliance-like too. But nooo.
typos1
voyager12 : "Dyson as an
voyager12 : "Dyson as an appliance producer had the rare opportunity to make the car appliance-like too. But nooo. "
Dyson isnt an appliance manufacturer, its a manufacturer of expensive, gimmicky faux appliances that rich and/or stupid middle class people buy cos theyre fashionable, whilst people who actually need home appliances spend half as much on better, proper appliances that work better and last longer.
XXXX just went POP.
nicfaz
Risks and opportunities
In one sense, electrification offers a huge opportunity for JLR as the fine control, monster torque and silence of electric motors means that electric Range Rovers should be better the ICE ones. The risk is that the market for ICE or PHEV vehicles in 10 years might be near zero, and JLR have batteries to secure, weight to lose and aerodynamics to gain before being a serious player. Whilst I like the i-pace, it's range is poor and its efficiency is poor next to things like the model X - V2 needs to be much better.
scrap
JLR’s ongoing build quality
JLR’s ongoing build quality woes are unforgivable. Getting this fixed should be the no.1 priority - who knows how many sales they have missed out on because customers don’t trust them?
chandrew
Engineers point doesn't make much sense...
One of the often quoted weaknesses of traditional car companies as regards to EVs (and to a lesser degree PHEVs) is that the legacy skills needed for making a traditional combustion vehicle are different than the software / electronics specialists needed for making EVs. Add in pension commitments and hundreds of diesel engine specialists suddenly become a massive cost that the new entrants don't have.
I doubt many diesel engineers can transition quickly to software development.
Pages
Add your comment