Jaguar Land Rover and BMW Group have announced a collaboration on the occasion of World Environment Day to develop electric technology for green vehicles. The joint venture will develop next-generation Electric Drive Units (EDUs) which will help the progress of electrification technologies. This will also help them to transition into an ACES (Autonomous, Connected, Electric, Shared) future.
The collaboration will not only further develop significant knowledge but it will also help share the cost of developing new electrified technology and many other companies have taken a similar route. Jaguar Land Rover with its 2019 World Car of the Year – I-Pace, has already proved its technical capability. The brand also has other plug-in hybrid models, apart from the world’s first fully electric premium SUV, mentioned earlier. Similarly, BMW Group also has vast experience in producing several generations of electric drive units, and the carmaker had launched the i3 back in 2013.
A joint team from both Jaguar Land Rover and BMW will develop the Electric Drive Units with both the associates further developing their own specific systems for their range of products.
The EDUs will then be manufactured at their respective plants, for Jaguar Land Rover the EDU will be manufactured at their Wolverhampton facility which is an Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC). In January, the company confirmed that the Wolverhampton facility will be producing EDUs for the global market.
The plant employs 1,600 people and manufactures the clean Ingenium petrol, diesel engines and electric units. The electrified powertrain will be supplied by the Battery Assembly Centre at Hams Hall, near Birmingham.
Together the companies will shorten the time taken to develop these state-of-the-art technologies, keeping in balance the economies of scale by joint research and parts sharing, also the manufacturers will be able to meet the new stringent emission regulations, mandated by the authorities.
Do note, Jaguar Land Rover is owned by the Indian automotive brand Tata Motors.