In a move which indicates that iconic British automaker Jaguar Land Rover -- owned by Indian automobile giant Tata Motors -- is planning to gain leadership in the fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) market in China, the automaker has revealed that it will offer a China-manufactured electric car in the near future.

According to Jaguar Land Rover, a China-built EV will be manufactured by the company in collaboration with its Chinese partner Chery Automobile Co. Both the companies have already set up a Chinese joint venture for local production of the gas-powered E-Pace compact sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Jaguar Land Rover now plans to further exploit is production capability in China, via the joint venture, by manufacturing an EV, like the I-Pace. The move will apparently enable the automaker to tap growing EV demand in China, especially against the backdrop of the China government’s relentless efforts to promote zero-emission vehicles in the country for combating pollution and reducing oil imports.

Jaguar Land Rover’s plans to build an EV in China were disclosed by the joint venture’s president Murray Dietsch earlier this week, during an interview in the city of Changshu in eastern Chinese.

In disclosing Jaguar Land Rover’s plans, Dietsch said: “With the combination of the enhancement in SUV market and the expectation of higher penetration of battery-electric vehicles, you will see more battery-electric SUVs in the market in the future.”