Jaguar is preparing to unveil the £130,000 Type 01 electric car in New York, marking the next stage of the British marque’s controversial transformation into an ultra-premium electric vehicle brand.
The grand tourer, which will be revealed on Tuesday, is expected to produce more than 1,000bhp and will feature 23-inch wheels, a three-motor powertrain and 360 new patents.
Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover has described the launch as “one of the most significant moments in Jaguar’s 90-plus year history”. He has also suggested the car should make a strong impression when viewed on the road.
Asked whether motorists might be intimidated by the Type 01 approaching on a motorway, Mr Glover said: “Your point of how it should feel when a Jaguar comes up behind you on the motorway; you could be talking to one of our designers. The car itself has to be distinctive, it has a look that is unquestionably a Jaguar.”
The launch follows a major redesign of Jaguar’s identity, which attracted criticism after the company abandoned its familiar growler logo and replaced its traditional all-capital lettering with a stylised typeface.
The rebrand was introduced under the slogan “copy nothing”, a phrase associated with Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons. A colourful advertisement featuring models in an otherworldly landscape was criticised by some observers for appearing to focus on diversity rather than cars.
Jaguar’s sales were reported to have fallen by 97.5 per cent in July last year, although the company said the decline was unrelated to the rebrand.
Former US president Donald Trump called the changes a “total disaster” and said Jaguar was in “absolute turmoil”. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the company “will go bust”, while Elon Musk questioned whether it still sold cars after the advertisement did not prominently feature a vehicle.
Mr Glover said Jaguar had continued to refine its marketing approach. “We’ve done many things over the last two years. One thing has clearly got more headlines than the other,” he said.
He added: “But if you take a look at our Instagram, you’ll see how the tone of our marketing has evolved over time and it will continue to do so.”
The Type 01 is intended to establish Jaguar as a rival to luxury electric vehicle makers Aston Martin and Bentley. Mr Glover said the company understood its critics but was determined to create a car capable of carrying the marque into the future.
“Whether it’s the president of the US or our client base” criticising the manufacturer, he said, “we understand Jaguar better than anybody else”. He added that Jaguar cared passionately about remaining in business for another 90 years and needed to develop “a car that we think is worthy of that”.
Jaguar Type 01 electric car features
The Type 01 uses a 120kWh battery pack, with Jaguar expecting a real-world range of about 430 miles on a full charge. The battery structure is split beneath the floor, allowing the seats to be positioned lower and creating additional legroom for rear passengers.
Power is delivered through one electric motor at the front and two at the rear. Its torque-vectoring system monitors grip and wheel slip up to 1,000 times a second while distributing power between the individual wheels.
The minimalist cabin has four separate seating areas divided by a central spine running along the length of the interior. Jaguar says the design is intended to make each journey feel like an occasion, with occupants sitting lower than in many other electric cars.
A wide high-definition display stretches from the instrument cluster into the centre of the dashboard, while a smaller screen built into the central spine controls functions including the temperature, air circulation and heated seats.
Instead of a conventional rear window, the car uses a centrally mounted digital display showing footage from a roof-mounted camera. The display also forms part of the front soundbar.
Other features include illuminated controls set into an Art Deco-inspired twin-spoke steering wheel, concealed storage, brass-effect detailing and a panoramic roof extending across much of the ceiling.
The first full-production Type 01 models are scheduled to be delivered in early 2027.
