JLR restarts auto exports to the US: report

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has resumed exporting vehicles to the US from 1 May, nearly a month after it suspended auto shipments following the Donald Trump administration’s move to levy a 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks, The Times reported on Saturday.

JLR, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, had reportedly utilized the time to evaluate how to manage the increased cost burden.

During the export suspension period, the company reportedly weighed options including absorbing part of the levy, passing it on to buyers, and seeking supply-chain adjustments or partial assembly in North America to reduce exposure.

Meanwhile, on 30 April, Trump announced an executive order to ease the tariff impact by “combining credits with relief from other levies on parts and materials”.

However, industry experts reportedly warn that such measures may take weeks to implement and may not fully offset the 25% duty on complete vehicles.

The US continues to be a vital market for British automakers. It accounts for nearly 20% of all UK car exports—second only to the European Union—the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said in a report released in January.

The sector directly employs about 200,000 people in Britain.

For JLR specifically, the US market generated roughly £6.5 billion of its £30 billion revenue last year, which is about a quarter of its 400,000-unit annual output.