JLR to partner with Indian firm Agratas for new gen 120kWh EV batteries

JLR (formerly known as Jaguar Land Rover) will partner Indian company Agratas to source battery packs that will give its EVs a range of up to 720km, the company told investors on Monday. Agratas is owned by JLR's parent company Tata, which is looking at building a cell manufacturing plant in either the UK or Spain.

The batteries are expected to be manufactured in a plant in Gujarat, initially, after Tata signed a deal with the state this month to build a cell plant there with an initial capacity of 20GWh.

Increased battery capacity in a smaller package

JLR said that batteries from Agratas would have a much higher energy density than those in the Jaguar I-Pace – currently the company’s only EV.

The new batteries would give 120kWh from 342 litres of cell capacity, compared to the 84kWh from the I-Pace's 387 litres, said JLR's head of product engineering, Thomas Muller. The pack size would give a range of up to 720km in the EMA Ultra Range pack, Muller said.

EMA is the new EV architecture that will underpin smaller Range Rover, Discovery and Defender models in the future. The new battery would also allow rapid charging that would add 320km range in 15 minutes, Muller said.

Electric Range Rover next year

Agratas will be responsible for the cell design and production, with JLR overseeing the design and production of the cell pack. Both companies will also work on a recycling solution, and Muller has promised “full transparency across the value chain” when it comes to sourcing and refining materials for the pack.

JLR will launch an electric Range Rover next year, followed by the first of three electric Jaguars – a four-door GT – in 2025. However, it’s not clear whether the Agratas batteries will be ready for the first electric Range Rover or the Jaguar.