Halewood to make body panels for Jaguar's new electric Type 01
The car was unveiled in New York, with production due to begin in 2027
Body panels for Jaguar's new electric car will be made at the Halewood plant on Merseyside.
The British luxury carmaker unveiled its production-ready Type 01 model at an event in New York on Tuesday evening.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said the car is designed, engineered and built in the UK.
Halewood's role
Production of the Type 01 is due to begin in 2027 at JLR's Solihull plant in the West Midlands.
Body panels will be made in Halewood, while electric drive units and battery packs will be made in Wolverhampton.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the car will support thousands of jobs across the West Midlands and North West.
He said:
"Jaguar's new EV is a crucial step in JLR's plans to invest over £15 billion in the UK, and another big vote of confidence in our world-class automotive industry."
"This cutting-edge new model being designed, engineered and built in Britain will support thousands of jobs across the West Midlands and North West, and builds on over £1 billion of UK automotive investment secured just last month - marking another step forward in our mission to reindustrialise Britain."
What the car offers
The Type 01 has a four-seater layout with a single "spine" running through the centre of the cabin.
It has a 118kWh battery which JLR said can deliver an expected range of up to 400 miles.
Customers will be able to order the car from early next year, with prices starting at £130,000.
PB Balaji, chief executive at JLR, said:
"The unveiling of Type 01 marks the beginning of an exciting new era for Jaguar."
"Combining British heritage, bold creativity, advanced technology and groundbreaking engineering, it reflects our ambition to create objects of desire that will help us invite a new generation of clients into Jaguar's loyal and passionate customer base."
Rebrand and job cuts
The unveiling comes two years after Jaguar revealed a series of dramatic changes ahead of becoming a fully electric brand.
They included a new logo and a new "leaper" cat design, and prompted backlash online.
Last month, JLR confirmed plans to cut 4,000 jobs across its global workforce over the next two years, as part of efforts to reduce costs by £1.7 billion.
The cuts are largely expected to affect office roles, with the majority of job losses in the UK, where around 34,000 staff are based.
The announcement comes as JLR continues to recover from a major cyber attack that forced it to halt production last year.
Sales have since remained under pressure amid competition from cheaper Chinese electric vehicles.