Jaguar has put the brakes on the I-Pace production line owing to a shortage of batteries. The British marque confirmed that its facility in Graz, Austria, will temporarily close and that it is working with the supplier to rectify the issue.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will shut the factory, which is run by Canadian manufacturing firm Magna, for one week – bringing I-Pace production to a standstill. It’s believed that LG Chem, the Warsaw-based battery supplier, is struggling to keep up with I-Pace as demand for electric cars continues to rise.
A JLR spokesperson said: “Land Rover has adjusted production schedules of the Jaguar I-Pace in Graz due to temporary supplier scheduling issues. We are working with the supplier to resolve this and minimise impact on customer orders.”
The battery shortages may also have an impact on other manufacturers. Audi and Mercedes-Benz both rely on LG Chem for their lithium-ion batteries, and it had been rumoured that the latter was feeling the pinch.
The German carmaker allegedly cut production targets for its EQC SUV owing to supply issues with LG Chem. However, Mercedes told Electrivethat the rumours were false and reiterated that the company was still planning to produce 50,000 examples.
Keyword: Jaguar I-Pace production put on hold due to battery shortages