Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and its parent company Tata Motors are in advanced negotiations to manufacture electric cars at scale in India for both domestic and export markets, according to a media report.
The talks, reported by Indian portal Autocar Professional, are said to be nearing a conclusion. If finalized, JLR would establish its largest plant outside the UK, adding to its existing facilities there and in Slovakia. The Indian plant is likely to be located in Gujarat, although alternative sites in Pune are also under consideration.
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The collaboration would see Tata utilizing JLR’s 800-volt Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) platform for its upcoming Avinya series. Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM) and JLR, both wholly-owned Tata Motors subsidiaries, signed a contract for this purpose in November 2023, though specific technological and model details were not disclosed at the time.
The report suggests that both Tata Motors and JLR will jointly develop at least four models each over the next decade, totaling around three million vehicles, with one-third earmarked for Tata and the remainder for JLR. The production of electric vehicles in India is expected to require an investment of several billion pounds. Given JLR’s relatively small market share in India due to its high-priced vehicles, the majority of JLR vehicles produced in India are likely to be exported. Tata’s sales strategy for its models, whether focused domestically or globally, has not been disclosed.
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Initially, Tata had pursued its own development platform for the Avinya series. However, the decision to switch to the JLR platform reportedly caused a delay of approximately six months. Autocar Professional speculates that the first Tata model featuring JLR technology could launch in 2026 or 2027.
Recent reports suggest that the Tata Group is considering spinning off its battery subsidiary Agratas, potentially through an IPO, to attract external investment. A similar move is being discussed for the electric car business, though it is not as advanced as with Agratas.
