Jaguar Land Rover plans to give its model range an electric jolt

By BLOOMBERG | 7 September 2017


LONDON: Jaguar Land Rover will offer electric options across its range of sleek sedans and upscale SUVs as the tradition-rich British carmaker pivots towards electric vehicles under pressure from Britain and other governments.

By 2020, the entire range of Jaguar cars and Land Rover sport utility vehicles will be available in fully electric, plug-in hybrid and so-called mild hybrid variants, chief executive officer Ralf Speth said today in a Bloomberg Television interview with Manus Cranny and Anna Edwards.

Underscoring its electric shift, Jaguar will start selling the I-PACE battery-powered performance SUV next year. The company has 25,000 orders for the vehicle already, Speth said.



Authorities in France and the Britain outlined plans in July to ban the sale of diesel and gasoline cars by 2040 as a means to reduce air pollution and carbon-dioxide emissions, which are linked to global warming. The move is less aggressive than plans by Volvo Car Group. The Swedish brand intends to offer only hybrid or battery versions of its new models as of 2019. The hybrid autos reduce fuel burn by being able to drive short distances or boost performance with the help of electric motors.

To showcase the carmaker’s intent, Speth is unveiling designs for a battery version of Jaguar’s iconic E-Type roadster at the Tata Motors Ltd division’s annual tech fair here.

Called the E-type Zero, the electric Jaguar future-proofs one of the world’s most famous cars. Acclaimed by Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful car in the world”, the E-type now combines stunning design with electric power for the first time. E-type Zero is based on a 1968 Series 1.5 Roadster and features an electric powertrain for 0-100kph in just 5.5s. It was engineered by Jaguar Classic at the company’s new Classic Works in Warwickshire.

Jaguar Land Rover is also presenting a concept for a voice-activated, detachable steering wheel. Dubbed the Sayer, after E-Type designer Malcolm Sayer, the device is part of a futuristic vision in which cars will be used interchangeably with consumers taking personalised steering devices with them.

Sayer will be showcased together with the Jaguar FUTURE-TYPE, a vision for the car of 2040 and beyond. The fully autonomous virtual concept explores mobility for the connected world of tomorrow, where vehicles could be shared not owned.




FUTURE-TYPE concept
> FUTURE-TYPE concept is Jaguar’s vision for an on-demand autonomous vehicle
> Fully autonomous but driveable, too
> FUTURE-TYPE offers either autonomous or assisted driving because you may still want to enjoy the thrill of driving yourself.
> Advanced technologies will make for safer driving with a human behind the wheel
> Innovative narrow-body with semi-tandem 2+1 seating to optimise urban driving & parking
> To maximise the social opportunities offered by autonomous driving, FUTURE-TYPE features face-to-face ‘social’ seating
> In a future world of on demand and shared mobility, you may only fully own the steering wheel, not the car itself
> Jaguar Land Rover explores the future with ‘Sayer’ – the connected, intelligent, removable steering wheel you can talk to





Jaguar E-type Zero

E-type Zero based on 1968 Series 1.5 Jaguar E-type Roadster, and features electric powertrain enabling 0-100kph in just 5.5 seconds
> An electric powertrain developing 295hp tailored for the E-type Zero.
> Lithium-ion battery pack same size and similar weight to XK six-cylinder engine of original E-type.
> Electric powertrain installed in same location as XK engine. Front-rear weight distribution unchanged.
> Electric motor (and reduction gear) behind battery pack. New propshaft sends power to a carry-over differential and final drive. Total weight 46kg lower than original E-type.

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