Key facts
- Jaguar's new Type 01 EV starts at $172,000 and is aimed at wealthy tech industry buyers in America.
- The Type 01 is 2 meters (6ft 5in) wide and over 5.2 meters long, making it too wide for UK parking spaces.
- The car will go on sale in early 2027, with deliveries expected in the second half of the year.
- JLR is investing over £15bn in the UK, with the Type 01 designed and engineered in Britain.
- The Type 01 has no rear window, using a rear-facing camera instead, and produces over 1,000 horsepower.
- The vehicle can travel up to 400 miles on a single charge.
Jaguar has unveiled its new Type 01 electric vehicle, a luxury model designed to attract a younger, affluent demographic, particularly in the American market. The car, which starts at £130,000 ($172,000), is a significant departure from Jaguar's previous offerings, featuring an ultra-long bonnet, a lack of rear window, and dimensions that make it unsuitable for standard UK parking spaces.
Rawdon Glover, Jaguar's managing director, stated that the Type 01 aims to appeal to a younger, richer, and more technologically savvy audience than the brand's traditional customer base of "men in their 50s." The vehicle's design is a sharp contrast to its predecessor, the F-Type, and its price point is double that of the previous model. Glover believes this strategy is necessary for Jaguar to regain a solid financial footing after two decades in the "volume premium space."
The launch comes at a critical time for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which has faced declining sales due to competition from Chinese manufacturers and is still recovering from a major cyber-attack. JLR recently announced 4,000 job cuts as part of a plan to save £1.7bn over two years. The company is pivoting its strategy to focus more on North America and target high-net-worth individuals.
The Type 01 will go on sale in early 2027, with first deliveries anticipated in the latter half of the year. It boasts over 1,000 horsepower and a range of up to 400 miles on a single charge. The car's width of 2 meters (6ft 5in) and length of over 5.2 meters have been noted as potential issues for UK roads and parking. Despite these challenges, Glover argued that the car is "incredibly manoeuvrable" due to its all-wheel steering and turning circle comparable to a Fiat 500.
Range Rover, JLR's sister brand, also recently introduced its first all-electric model with a starting price of £154,070. Jaguar has decided to delay the Type 01's launch in China for a couple of years, despite it being the world's largest car market, to focus on other regions first. The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, highlighted the Type 01 as a crucial step in JLR's £15bn UK investment plan, supporting thousands of jobs.