Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Automakers
May 19, 2021 03:50 AM

Jaguar Land Rover struggles to meet demand for new Defender, plug-in hybrids

Order backlog reaches nearly 100,000 units as European buyers flock to low-CO2 electrified models

Nick Gibbs
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    6DEFENDER-MAIN_i.jpg

    Demand for the new Defender has helped drive orders at JLR.

    LONDON -- Jaguar Land Rover is sitting on an order bank of almost 100,000 vehicles as it struggles to meet demand for the new Land Rover Defender off-roader and plug-in hybrid versions of its vehicles amid microchip shortages.

    The waiting list for some plug-in hybrid models is approaching 12 months, Jaguar Land Rover chief financial officer Adrian Mardell told investors on Tuesday when the company announced its latest quarterly earnings.

    "It's the result of the supply side," Mardell said, citing the semiconductor shortage and issues around manufacturing plug-in hybrids. "Expect those order books to normalize in six, nine- or 12-months' time," he said.

    Most of the backed-up orders were from mainland Europe and the company's UK home market, Mardell said.

    JLR CEO Thierry Bollore said the company lost production of 7,000 units because of the semiconductor shortage in the company's latest quarter that ended March 30.

    The company gave no guidance on how the shortage would affect production for the next financial year.

    Mardell said: "We won't yet know the scale of impact from the semiconductor challenges." The order bank for the Defender is now above 20,000, he said. Retail sales for the vehicle are approaching 7,000 a month, up from the predicted 5,000, he told investors.The order bank when the Defender first went on sale in April last year stood around 8,000, JLR figures show. The company sold 45,244 of the Defender in the financial year.

    DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up and get the top news of the day in Europe every business weekday.
    Plug-in demand booming

    Orders for JLR's plug-in hybrids are especially backed up as customers in Europe seek to take advantage of lower tax impacts due to the electrified drivetrain's lower CO2 emissions.

    "There is particular emphasis on plug-in hybrids. They have had a dramatic impact on our market," Mardell said. "Some of those have a 12-month waiting list so clearly those customers are going to have to be super patient with us."

    Mardell did not expand on the plug-in hybrid production issues, but the company paused sales of its Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport P300e plug-in models last October over issues with their stated CO2 output.

    Sales of plug-in hybrid models reached 7.3 percent of total JLR sales globally in the quarter, compared to 4.6 percent for company's full financial year. Sales of the full-electric Jaguar I-Pace accounted for 1.8 percent of sales in the quarter.

    Full-year loss

    Jaguar Land Rover lost 861 million pounds in the financial year ending March 30 after writing off 952 million pounds ($1.2 billion) for the cancellation of a large portion of its Modular Longitudinal Architecture and another 571 million pounds of restructuring costs.

    Without the write-offs JLR posted an EBIT margin of 2.6 percent for the year, it said.

    The company has slimmed its volume ambitions under new CEO Thierry Bollore, including turning Jaguar into an EV-only brand from 2025 and backing away from its one-million annual target.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    New Toyota CEO Koji Sato faces big challenges in critical new era
    Recommended for You
    satoandakio.jpg
    New Toyota CEO Koji Sato faces big challenges in critical new era
    Tesla Model 3 red web_0.jpg
    UK has concerns over U.S. green subsidy act, finance minister says
    Renault Douai_Plant
    Renault will offer workers 7.5% pay increase, report says
    Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sponsored Content: Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us