Electric Powertrains Will Reinvent The Car Jaguar Says

Ian Callum, head of design for Jaguar, says electric powertrains will “reinvent the car.” He tells Autocar, “My personal view is that electric cars are a new start. Car design will change more in the next 15 years than it has in the past 100 – electrification will kickstart the biggest change in automotive design in history.”

“The opportunities an electric powertrain offers are huge, especially in terms of the space for occupants. By removing so much of the mechanical hardware and placing the batteries in the floorplan you open up all sorts of possibilities with packaging. The question is whether you make the cars smaller, but with the same interior space, or keep the cars the same size and offer more space – or perhaps both.”

Callum insisted the opportunities presented by electrification far outweigh the drawbacks, saying: “It offers designers and stylists a much greater freedom. It is an opportunity we must embrace, because we have choice as an industry to either be considered part of the problem of global warming or to be part of the solution.”

“I’m clear in my mind that an electric Jaguar would be suitable for the brand. You have to move with the times and design for the opportunities. Look at the C-X75 concept – that was a car that was designed for an alternative powertrain, and nobody had any complaints about how that looked. It just so happened we later fitted a conventional powertrain in the car – but it was designed entirely around an electrified hybrid powertrain. Jaguar is expected to blend the appeal of the C-X75 sports car with a package that seats four in comfort.

Industry sources believe Jaguar is working on an electric SUV to rival the Audi Q6 e-tron quattro. Both cars are expected to go on sale in 2018 and cost about $80,000. The similarly priced Tesla Model X will start at about the same price but will come to market sooner. The Tesla can also accommodate up to 7 passengers.

In preparation for its electric road car debut Jaguar is entering next season’s Formula E electric car racing championship, with testing scheduled to begin in August. It has also patented the EV-Type name, although insiders say this is to protect the name, rather than a definite indication it will be used.

SUV’s are the hottest market segment at the moment, so it makes sense for Jaguar to target those customers. At present, there are no photos or design sketches that reveal what an electric Jaguar SUV might look like, although there are some who think the F-Pace crossover may offer clues to the size and styling of the electric Jag.

Photo credits: Autocar