Jaguar XJ_e PHEV under development hits 112 mpg equivalent

By the time GM rolls out its 2014 Cadillac ELR, it will have competition either present or pending including known contenders such as the Tesla Model S, Tesla Model X, Fisker Karma,Infiniti LE, other vehicles we may yet hear about, and … maybe something from Jaguar?

Well, actually, no plans are known for a launch, but Jaguar is getting some decent results from its plug-in hybrid it calls the XJ_e.
 

We just read that the Vauxhall Ampera did well at the RAC Future Car Challenge, and so did Jaguar’s experimental PHEV, which won “Most Energy Efficient Luxury Car Prototype” and “Technical Panel’s Award of Merit.”

The third-annual event was held from Brighton to London, UK on Nov. 3, 2012.

Jaguar Land Rover entered three of its Jaguar XJ_e PHEV engineering research cars into the event. The efforts resulted in a best-in-class rating, using only 1.2 liters of gas and 11 kwh of electricity over a 63-mile course.

This equates to an equivalent fuel consumption of approximately 112 miles per gallon.

The XJ_e project is led by Jaguar Land Rover as part of its strategy to develop best-in-class low-carbon premium products and is partially funded by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board through the REEVolution project.

“The three experimental XJ_e vehicles were brand new so this event was their first drive in real-world conditions,” said Pete Richings, director, Jaguar Land Rover Hybrids & Electrification. “They performed faultlessly and delivered performance that exceeded our expectations, a tribute to our engineering team who prepared them. Events like this help us not only to understand the technical challenges involved but also provide an opportunity to showcase promising solutions.”

The three Jaguar XJ_e PHEV vehicles are powered by a specially developed 2-liter turbocharged engine which is coupled to a 69-kw electric motor and a 12.3-kwh lithium-ion battery. This combo replaces the 5-liter V8 of the standard XJ.

(This 2.0-based PHEV powertrain sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it?)
 

 

Jaguar says its XJ_e can achieve a range of about 25 miles in all-electric mode and a maximum electric mode top speed of 75 mph. Performance estimates from Jaguar for the Jaguar XJ_e are a fuel economy rating of 87 miles per gallon and a top speed of 150 mph. Tailpipe emissions are 75g/km, which represents a 70 percent improvement compared to the standard Jaguar XJ.

The RAC Future Car Challenge is one of three flagship events owned by the Royal Automobile Club that took place on the weekend of 3 and 4 November 2012. The other two were the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the world’s longest running motoring event, and the Regent Street Motor Show.

Together these three events make for the largest free-to-see annual motoring celebration in the UK.

Source: GM-Volt.com