JLR: Solihull EV Plant Faces Shutdown for Nearly two Weeks

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), owned by Tata Motors, will close its UK Solihull plant for nearly two weeks, according to reporting by the Financial Times.

The facility, which produces the company's first fully electric vehicle, the Range Rover Electric, will pause operations due to supply chain disruptions caused by a fire at a Norwegian supplier.

The shutdown affects production of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models at the Solihull plant, with operations set to resume on 8 April 2026.

JLR informed suppliers on 26 March, of the production pause. In a statement to the Financial Times, JLR said: "We are working closely with that supplier to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and minimise an impact on our clients or our operations."

The disruption comes at a critical time for JLR's electric vehicle ambitions, as the Solihull facility plays a central role in the company's electrification strategy and houses production of its flagship EV model.

Solihull's role in electrification

The Solihull plant represents a cornerstone of JLR's transition to electric mobility. The facility manufactures the Range Rover Electric, the company's first fully electric vehicle, which features a 117 kWh battery and is positioned as a competitor in the luxury EV market.

JLR invested further in its Solihull, Halewood and Wolverhampton manufacturing facilities to produce electric vehicles and their component parts in March 2026. The company recruited 50 EV technicians specifically for its Solihull plant, with these roles covering maintenance of automated manufacturing equipment essential to the production of Range Rover Electric.

The automaker aims to become carbon net zero across its supply chain, products and operations by 2039, making the Solihull facility's operational continuity crucial to meeting these sustainability commitments.

Previous cyber incident impacts

The current shutdown follows significant disruption in 2025 when a cyber incident caused a month-long halt at all of JLR's UK plants. According to the Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC), the incident impacted JLR's internal IT environment leading to an IT shutdown and a halt in global manufacturing operations, including its major UK plants at Solihull.

The cyber incident severely impacted JLR's finances in 2025. In JLR's financial results, posted in November 2025, it reported a loss before tax and exceptional items of £485m (US$644.5m) for Q2 and £134m (US$178m) for H1, down from a profit of £398m (US$528.9m) and £1.1bn (US$1.47bn) respectively, in 2025. 

JLR posted losses of £238m (US$316.3m) in the quarter that reflect costs related to the cyber incident of £196m (US$260.4m).

The CMC estimates the event caused a UK financial impact of £1.9bn (US$2.52bn) and affected over 5,000 UK organisations. The continuing impact of US tariffs also impacted the company's finances. 

Range Rover Electric launch

Originally expected in 2025, the Range Rover Electric is expected to launch in early 2026, though ongoing disruptions to JLR's manufacturing process could cause further delays.

Matt Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director at JLR, says of the car: "In its driving character, Range Rover should seamlessly combine capability and refinement. Delivering both in an electric vehicle in a way that doesn't diminish the vehicle in other areas is incredibly challenging.

"By increasing its torsional stiffness and improving its responses, we've been able to maintain a customary Range Rover driving experience that feels familiar. We have delivered on this promise by marrying all the essential Range Rover elements with new and advanced technologies."

The vehicle represents a new venture for JLR in the competitive luxury EV market, with the Solihull plant serving as a manufacturing location for this model alongside the traditional Range Rover and Range Rover Sport variants.