Jaguar Land Rover has delayed the rollout of its all-electric Defender model as the carmaker embarks on a cost-cutting drive.
A planned full redesign of the standard model of the Defender was supposed to herald the announcement of a new all-electric version of the best-selling off-road car.
However, the redesign has been paused for two years. This has consequentially delayed the rollout of the all-electric version which can only be built on top of the new design, the Sunday Times reported. A smaller electric version of the Defender will still go ahead.
While no date had been formally announced for the new all-electric model, it was previously expected to come available between 2028 and 2029, meaning the redesign has been delayed into the 2030s.
A spokesman for JLR told the Sunday Times: “Defender is one of JLR’s greatest success stories. With more than 75 years of heritage, purpose and proven capability, it is our class-leading bestseller due to continued strong global demand and enduring brand appeal.”
The company reportedly told staff that the pause was because of the success of the current model of the Defender, which accounted for nearly a third of all the cars JLR sold in the year to March. It sold 110,000 Defenders last year and 350,000 cars overall.
It marks the latest setback for the British car manufacturer, which has struggled with demand after Donald Trump’s tariffs led to higher prices.
Last month JLR said around 300 staff and managers would have their jobs axed, just weeks after the carmaker said it could cut costs by £1.7bn as it battled to recover from a devastating cyber attack, which forced it to halt production for five weeks.
The delay also comes after the redesign of another beloved car in the JLR stable was derided by critics.
Jaguar last year junked its traditional “Jag Man” image in an attempt to lure a new generation of wealthy customers as it shifted to an all-electric line-up of cars.
But an advert featuring a cast of androgynous-looking models to promote the rebrand was criticised as “woke”, with Mr Trump and Nigel Farage among its detractors.
A new bright pink concept car also attracted unflattering comparisons to the Fab 1 vehicle driven by Lady Penelope in the Thunderbirds, as well as Barbie’s convertible.
Following the furore, in December last year, Gerry McGovern, Jaguar’s long-serving design chief, was dismissed.
The decision to delay an all-electric Defender also comes as the Government has mulled watering down electric vehicle (EV) sales targets.
Andy Burnham has unveiled a consultation on reducing the targets, which determine the proportion of new car sales that must be from EVs, from 80pc by 2030 to as low as 50pc.