Latest news with #Agratas
NZ Autocar
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Electric Velar another key in Range Rover's reinvention
Range Rover is preparing to reimagine its Velar nameplate as a sleek electric vehicle. Evidently, it will help to future-proof the marque's luxury credentials. Due to launch in 2026, the second-generation Velar will debut as a battery-electric vehicle and break away from its SUV roots. Instead, it will be a bold new low-slung design that leans heavily on road presence, upmarket appeal, and tech-focused refinement. Unlike the upcoming electric Range Rover and Range Rover Sport that will look like their ICE powered brethren, the next Velar will have a shooting brake silhouette. Prototypes feature a longer, lower stance, possibly allowing for optional third row seating. Crucially, it also signals a pivot to a more road-biased philosophy. It will therefore be a rival to premium electric crossovers like Porsche Macan Electric and BMW iX. The new Velar appears to inherit the Road Rover's mission: to combine luxury saloon comfort and sophistication with light off-road prowess. The Velar's interior will be similar to that of the minimalist, tech-laden Range Rover. Expect high-end materials and leading-edge connectivity. This is essential for US, Middle East and China markets. Under the skin, the Velar will debut JLR's new 800V EMA (Electrified Modular Architecture) platform. It will also underpin the next Evoque and an upcoming Defender 'Sport'. All will be built at JLR's Halewood plant in the UK. It is currently undergoing a £500m revamp to support EV production. EMA promises fast-charging capability, new high-tech e-motors, and batteries sourced from Tata-owned Agratas's gigafactory in Somerset. Although the Velar will launch as a pure EV, the possibility of hybrid or range-extender variants remains open, depending on global demand for plug-in models. The Velar's reinvention is critical to Range Rover's future. It is currently the slowest seller in the line-up; Evoque was twice as popular. Petrol Macan outsells the Velar nearly three to one. Giving the Velar a distinct identity within Range Rover will be key to revitalising interest. Its arrival kicks off just as an all-electric Range Rover and Range Rover Sport launch. Both use the versatile MLA platform, which supports ICE, hybrid, and full-EV powertrains. These two flagships will be key to JLR's electrification strategy. They represent the brand's most profitable models globally. Electric versions will help ensure compliance with increasingly stringent emissions regulations in key major markets. The electric Range Rover promises acceleration to match its V8-powered SV sibling, with new dual-motor systems and 'Intelligent Torque Management'. The latter is said to significantly improve traction response times. Testing in extreme desert conditions has indicated the electric SUV is a match for its petrol counterparts in capability. JLR's CEO, Adrian Mardell, has confirmed that the first EMA-based vehicle, likely Velar, will follow the MLA-based Range Rover Electric, arriving in early 2026. The electric Evoque will follow, maintaining its position as the entry point to the Range Rover range. It too will be produced at Halewood. With governments phasing out combustion vehicle sales from 2035, the shift to electric is not just a trend but is a necessity for survival. The next-gen Velar, with its Road Rover-inspired ethos, is a pivotal step in ensuring Range Rover's place in the electric luxury landscape.
Irish Post
28-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Post
Sir Robert McAlpine returns to profitability
THE civil engineering and construction firm Sir Robert McAlpine has reported a return to profitability, posting a pre-tax profit of £10.4 million for the year ending October 2024, a significant turnaround from the £104.6 million loss recorded the previous year. The construction company, with strong ties to the Irish community in Britain, has released its latest accounts. The company also reported a 7% increase in turnover to £940 million and a cash balance of £143.5 million, up from £100.8 million in 2023, while remaining debt-free. The order book stands at £1.3 billion, with an additional £1.2 billion in preferred bidder positions. So far this year, £813 million has been secured or delivered, with a further £129 million nearly over the line. Notable project wins include the Agratas state-of-the-art battery cell manufacturing facility in Somerset, Tata Steel's new electric arc furnace at Port Talbot, a 90-bed mental health facility at Tolworth Hospital, and the NESST innovation hub in Newcastle. CEO Neil Martin expressed confidence in the company's direction, stating that the benefits of the strategic changes are reflected in the stable performance of 2023/24. He emphasised the company's focus on client value, operational excellence, and targeting the right opportunities, supported by the expertise of supply chain partners. Founded in 1869 by Robert McAlpine in Lanarkshire — an area with a large concentration of Irish immigrants from the 19th century onwards — the company became one of Britain's foremost civil engineering firms. The hard life of the navvy has gone down in folklore. The song McAlpine's Fusiliers — written by Dominic Behan and made famous by The Dubliners — gives an overview, in amusing fashion, of life on Britain's construction sites, and of working for Sir Robert McAlpine. The company is also mentioned in other songs, such as Building Up and Tearing England Down, also written by Behan, with a first verse that runs: Oh, I've worked on the railways and I've worked on the roads, I've worked with the gangway and I've carried me load, I've dug the big tunnels and I've cut the big drains, And I've blasted the rock and I've dammed up the mains. Although these songs talk about tough times for the navvy, historian Ultan Cowley, and regular contributor to The Irish Post, has suggested that the relationship between Irish labour and senior management at Sir Robert McAlpine was more collaborative than what is related in these songs.
BBC News
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Jaguar Land Rover owner share new plans for UK's biggest EV battery plant
Bosses behind the UK's biggest electric vehicle (EV) battery plant have shared new plans for the main building will now be shorter than originally proposed, and the first factory building will not open until 2027 - a year later than previously Tata Group's global battery business, is investing £4bn in the former Royal Ordnance Factory site just off junction 23 of the M5. Bosses said 4,000 jobs will be created and enough battery cells annually to supply 500,000 Weber, Agratas head of construction, said: "Despite a level of uncertainty in the market, we're here making a big strategic bet in Somerset. We really believe in this market, we're bullish about it and we think it's the future of vehicle manufacturing." Jaguar Land Rover owners Tata is hosting a series of community consultation events this week to update residents on changes to the include the main building now being shorter than originally planned, the first phase of the internal ring-road and National Grid's plans for an electricity substation to power the gigafactory will be one of the largest in Europe and will initially make batteries for vehicles like Range Rover, the Defender and the Jaguar the plans, the plant will also supply other car manufacturers as well as producing commercial energy storage. Mr Weber added: "We looked at cutting-edge technologies from lots of different countries and we managed to find an optimal solution that allowed us to reduce the building size by around 84 metres."It reduces energy and water consumption along with our carbon footprint."But he denied it was a sign they were scaling back the project. "The number of jobs and opportunities from this project during its construction and operational phases remains the same," he is expected to take two years, with about 500 people on site by end of 2025, going up to 2,000 in 2026. The company said 1,500 operational jobs would be created in 2027, with 4,000 jobs on offer once they expand across the whole site The site will eventually produce 40GWh of battery cells annually, enough to supply approximately 500,000 passenger vehicles, Agratas saidBy the early 2030s, the facility could provide up to 40% of all electric vehicle batteries for the UK domestic market, the company previously said the overall project would be worth "hundreds of millions" to the local economy. A department for transport spokesperson said they recognised the global challenges car manufacturers face and have listened to their concerns by consulting on reinstating the 2030 phase out date of new petrol and diesel car sales."One in four of all cars sold in February was electric, and last year saw a record 382k EVs sold – the highest in Europe. "We're investing over £2.3 billion to support industry and consumers make the switch, tapping into a multibillion-pound industry that will create high paid jobs for decades to come, make the UK a clean energy superpower and secure Britain's future to deliver our Plan for Change," they previous government confirmed in 2023, Tata had been offered a "large" incentive to site the plant in the is understood that the government is providing subsidies worth hundreds of millions of are likely to be in the form of cash grants, discounts on the cost of energy, and training and research funding.
