JLR has confirmed that production of its upcoming electric Defender Sport will begin next year, giving the brand’s new entry-level SUV its first official timeline. The announcement came from CEO PB Balaji during the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
Balaji said the electric Defender and the upcoming Range Rover GT will begin production at JLR’s Halewood plant in Merseyside, UK, which currently builds the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport.
The smaller Defender will use the new EMA platform, shared with the Range Rover GT. It is also expected to offer both electric and hybrid powertrains, although the hybrid version is still under development.
Widely referred to as the Defender Sport, the SUV’s official name is yet to be confirmed. It is expected to measure just over 4.5 metres in length and will be an entirely new product, rather than simply an electric version of the Defender 90.
Source: Autocar
