Jaguar Land Rover is the latest well known auto manufacturer to admit that the future of automobiles is electric. Like Volvo announced a couple of months ago, Jaguar Land Rover’s plan is to not produce a single vehicle without an electric motor and battery from 2020 onward, according to The Guardian. (Edit: BBC reports the news a bit differently, stating, “JLR said every vehicle line launched from 2020 will have an all-electric or hybrid version, the first of which would be the Jaguar I-Pace, to go on sale in 2018.” I’ve reached out to JLR to clear up the confusion, but the BBC’s statement certainly seems more likely.)
This is exciting, but it also implicitly poses several questions. How many of these cars will be fully electric cars? Will the hybrids primarily include small batteries and low range or will they offer plugs and enough range for 90% electric driving? Where will the batteries come from — which battery producer(s) and factories? What types of vehicles will the procession of new electrified models prioritize? What charging options will Jaguar Land Rover drivers have at their fingertips? Will Jaguar Land Rover partner with Tesla so that its premium-class drivers can get access to a premium-class, superfast charging network?
Ah, yes, plenty of details to still learn, but at least the spark of excitement has been started with an announcement that is effectively just two years away.
Like Volvo, the interesting thing about this announcement from Jaguar Land Rover is that the company had seemingly made very little electric progress beforehand. Jaguar has one electric model announced that isn’t even on the market yet. (Volvo just has a few plug-in hybrids.) What spurred such a dramatic change of course? Good question. Probably a combination of dropping battery prices, regulations around the world, the power and performance capability of electric drivetrains, and the threat Tesla is posing in the premium car market.
Jaguar is also pushing a 2040 concept to position itself as a futuristic and high-tech company, according to an email I received seconds ago (like, literally — right after finishing the above paragraph), but such unrealistic concepts are not really our cup of tea here on CleanTechnica. We’re much more interested in action today and tomorrow for this year and this decade. The good news is that Jaguar Land Rover seems to be putting some pressure down on the torque pedal while it’s also throwing around concept car press releases.
Interestingly, Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover’s CEO, is also a bit cautious and concerned about the autonomous electric vehicle future we are headed into, despite trying to position his company as a leader here. He brought up the threat to a massive employment sector that we’re all by now familiar with — what will happen to all the professional drivers once autonomous vehicles take over? He went a step further and also offered some sympathyto the future of oil-producing countries: “Many could be forced to impose substantial spending cuts within the next five years, straining living standards and so creating unrest in areas already suffering from instability,” he stated. Indeed … that’s what happens during major technology transitions.
Additionally, he echoed some of the concerns of Tesla CEO Elon Musk when it comes to autonomous cars, AI, and cybersecurity. “The very technology that could liberate us, autonomous vehicles, could become a method of insecurity and enslavement … Big freedoms could end up creating the big brother state.”
As a final note, it’s perhaps worth highlighting that Volvo is now owned by Chinese company Geely and Jaguar Land Rover is now owned by Indian giant Tata. That’s something to ponder as we discuss societal transitions.
The Jaguar I-PACE is scheduled for production in the second half of 2018, but the company has taken a page from the Tesla playbook by showing a prototype of the car driving through London’s Olympic Park recently.
What’s the best way to drum up interest in a new product? Show it to people and then tell them they can’t have it. By showing the Jaguar I-PACE know, the company is sending a message to people considering a Model X — Don’t buy that Tesla just yet. We have something even better on the way.
“The feedback on the I-PACE Concept has been fantastic,” says Ian Callum, design director at Jaguar. “With the I-PACE Concept we’ve torn up the rule book to create a vehicle with supercar inspired aesthetics, sports car performance and SUV space, in one electric package. It has surprised people and the enthusiasm for our first electric vehicle has been beyond all my expectations.”
“Driving the concept on the streets is really important for the design team. It’s very special to put the car outside and in the real world. You can see the true value of the I-PACE’s dramatic silhouette and powerful proportions when you see it on the road, against other cars. The I-PACE Concept represents the next generation of battery electric vehicle design. For me, the future of motoring has arrived.”
What about the good stuff? The Jaguar I-PACE will have a 90 kWh battery and an EPA range of about 220 miles. 0-60 will take 4 seconds. The best part is that an 80% charge is possible in just 90 minutes or a 100% charge in 2 hours using 50 kW DC fast charging.
The car is powered by two compact and lightweight electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. The two motors together are claimed to have 400 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Instantaneous electronic control of the motors will provide excellent traction in all situations based on driver input and road conditions.
Jaguar's all-new I-Pace Concept previews Jaguar’s first electric car; expected to be on sale in 2018 and a rival to Tesla's Model X
The Jaguar I-Pace - easily the most radical car in its 81-year history -will vault the brand into central Teslaterritory.
The all-new battery-electric SUV, unveiled this week as a concept at the Los Angeles motor show, changes practically every traditional Jaguar ingredient and is due on the road in about 18 months’ time. It marks the start of a bold new chapter in the engineering and design history of Jaguar Land Rover.
Jaguar’s brief for its long-anticipated first electric vehicle was to “create a performance SUV that is spacious, sporty and usable”, but the final design isn’t merely an electric version of the successful F-Pace SUV.
Instead, the I-Pace exploits the packaging advantages of an electric powertrain to marry a sleek four-door bodystyle with generous cabin space, four-wheel drive capability and performance on a par with a rear-wheel-drive Jaguar F-Type R.
The definitive production version of the I-Pace will be revealed at the end of next year, with most of the concept’s key features likely to be carried over. The car will go on sale in 2018 at a price expected to be about 10-15% above that of an F-Pace of similar specification. Jaguar remains tight-lipped on precise price details, but a cost of around £55-60k is mooted.
The I-Pace Concept uses a new, bespoke, battery electric vehicle architecture designed in-house. Jaguar said the electric architecture, informally referred to as the ‘electric skateboard’, is production ready.
As with other Jaguars, the I-Pace’s architecture is aluminium-intensive. The housing of the battery pack is made from the material and forms an integral part of the car’s body structure.
The I-Pace Concept’s drive is provided by a pair of synchronous permanent magnet electric motors, one integrated into each axle and paired with a single-speed epicyclic transmission. The powertrain provides four-wheel drive, immediate response from a standstill and rapid torque distribution between the two axles.
Each motor produces the equivalent of 197bhp, meaning the I-Pace Concept has 395bhp and 516lb ft on tap. Jaguar’s claimed 0-60mph time for the car is 4.0sec.
“Electric motors provide immediate response with no lag, no gearshifts and no interruptions,” said Ian Hoban, JLR vehicle line director. “Their superior torque delivery compared to internal combustion engines transforms the driving experience.”
The car’s maximum range on a fully charged battery is about 310 miles, as measured on the New European Driving Cycle.
A 50kW direct current (DC) charging point — currently the most common type of public rapid charging system in the UK — can replenish the battery to 80% in 90 minutes and to 100% in just over two hours.
Jaguar has future-proofed the electrical architecture to accept higher-capacity charging than 50kW DC when such charging points become commonplace. The charging socket is situated in the car’s front wing.
Jaguar’s engineers designed and developed the motors in-house to achieve the compactness, efficiency and power density they desired. The motors have an outer diameter of 234mm, are 500mm long and weigh about 38kg. Permanent magnet motors were chosen in preference to the induction motors used by the likes of Tesla because the efficiency is fractionally better and the weight is lower.
Power is stored in a 90kWh lithium ion battery pack. The battery uses 36 pouch cells selected for their energy density and thermal performance. They operate at a lower heat, so they can run at a high performance for longer than cylindrical cells.
Jaguar said pouch cells offer excellent future development potential, especially in terms of energy density. This will enable greater range for a given size of battery, or deliver similar range to today but from a smaller, lighter pack.
The pack is liquid-cooled using a dedicated two-mode cooling circuit. In moderate ambient temperatures, the battery improves efficiency by relying only on a radiator to remove the heat generated by the cells. At higher temperatures, a chiller linked to the vehicle’s main air conditioning system provides greater cooling capacity to keep the battery in optimum condition.
DRIVING DYNAMICS
Jaguar set out to ensure the concept version of the I-Pace can top its class in terms of ride, handling and refinement. The car uses the same double wishbone front suspension and integral link rear suspension that has already been proven in the F-Pace.
Siting the battery pack low between the axles helps to lower the centre of gravity and reduce yaw inertia, and spreading the weight of the electric motors on to each axle has helped to enable a front-to-rear weight distribution of almost 50/50. The concept rides on 23in alloy wheels and bespoke 265/35 R23 tyres and uses electromechanical steering.
“It’s a true Jaguar,” said Mike Cross, JLR chief engineer of vehicle integrity. “This will be the first electric vehicle developed for enthusiasts who love driving.”
The I-Pace Concept’s four-wheel drive system is augmented by Jaguar’s familiar traction technologies, including All Surface Progress Control (ASPC) and Adaptive Surface Response (AdSR). The car will also have adjustable levels of regenerative braking force, making it possible to drive the I-Pace as a ‘onepedal’ car in some conditions.
CAB-FORWARD DESIGN
Not having to accommodate an internal combustion engine or conventional transmission allowed Jaguar’s designers and engineers to rethink the vehicle’s overall proportions.
Although an SUV design wasn’t a prerequisite at the very start of the electric vehicle project, it was a logical choice: the F-Pace is now the company’s best-selling model and Jaguar’s electric car needs to appeal particularly to the US market, where emissions regulations are tightening. Jaguar has even launched a button on its site to register interest in the I-Pace.
Even so, the I-Pace is an unconventional SUV, taking some of its styling cues from the stillborn hybrid C-X75 supercar. A cab-forward design, long wheelbase and short overhangs combine to maximise interior space for occupants, improve visibility and enhance driving dynamics.
At 4680mm long, 1890mm wide and 1560mm tall, the I-Pace Concept is smaller in each dimension than the F-Pace, in particular its height. However, the most significant difference is in the wheelbase: Jaguar has pushed the electric car’s out to 2990mm, compared with the F-Pace’s 2874mm. Indeed, the I-Pace’s wheelbase is 30mm longer than the XF’s, too.
To reduce drag, the door handles sit flush with the body surface and slide out when activated, and side skirts channel air more efficiently around the wheels. A lowset bonnet features a grille that bends back to channel air through a scoop similar to that of the C-X75, helping to reduce drag further. The drag coefficient is 0.29. By comparison, Tesla claims its Model X is the slipperiest SUV, with a Cd of 0.24.
At the rear of the I-Pace Concept’s roof, a slender fixed spoiler reduces lift at higher speeds without generating drag. The dramatically sloping rear window has a hydrophobic glass coating that sheds water, negating the need for a rear windscreen wiper. The squared-off rear end and flared haunches accentuate the short rear overhang but also provide an aerodynamic benefit by encouraging air to cling to the vehicle for longer, stabilising airflow at speed.
In place of exhaust pipes, there are rear vents that help to channel turbulent air from the rear wheel arches into the vehicle’s wake, as well as a rear diffuser. The tail-lights feature a ‘chicane line’ signature, a new Jaguar design element that replaces the more traditional E-Type-inspired roundel.
FUTURISTIC INTERIOR
The I-Pace Concept’s interior is a “clear statement of plans for the production version” of Jaguar’s electric vehicle, and some elements also reflect a design philosophy that will be transferred to other future models.
The cabin takes advantage of the packaging of the electric architecture to maximise occupant space and offer a new minimalist cockpit design. The flat floor allows the driver and passengers to sit lower than in a conventional SUV. Slimline seats position the occupants’ hips lower in relation to their heels in what Jaguar calls its ‘Sports Command’ driving position. The aim of this is to offer a sports car’s sense of connection with the road even in higher-riding vehicles.
A floating centre console emphasises the car’s flat floor and the absence of a gear selector and transmission tunnel, and it has a stowage area for oddments underneath. The gears are selected via buttons integrated into the centre console’s metal struts.
The absence of a transmission tunnel has also enabled Jaguar’s interior designers to incorporate an eight-litre stowage area between the front seats. There’s a 530-litre boot and an extra 28 litres of stowage under the bonnet.
Jaguar says the I-Pace Concept offers more rear passenger space than some full-sized SUVs and luxury saloons, despite having a smaller footprint than a conventional mid-sized SUV. There’s up to 71mm of knee room for rear passengers.
The full-length panoramic glass roof features a lozenge-patterned ceramic print that becomes illuminated at night via an array of LED lights embedded in it.
MORE TOUCHSCREENS
The I-Pace Concept introduces a new cockpit design philosophy based around three display screens. The primary interface is a 12.0in TFT touchscreen, and the infotainment and climate functions are adjusted on a secondary 5.5in screen operated by two aluminium rotary controllers. Instrumentation is presented on a configurable 12.0in virtual cluster augmented by a colour head-up display.
The cockpit also has a new three-spoke steering wheel, which features multi-function capacitive switches that react with haptic feedback when pressed.
The infotainment system has been designed in-house and is built upon the same technology that powers the InControl Touch Pro system offered in Jaguar’s current models. Other technology present on Jaguar’s existing crop of production cars, such as a wi-fi hotspot and the ability to use apps from a connected smartphone or tablet via InControl Apps, also features.
Jaguar’s interior designers have incorporated about a dozen special features into the cabin of the I-Pace. These include laser-etched detailing on the instrument panel surface that shows the GPS co-ordinates of the design studio in which the I-Pace Concept took shape, jaguar paw prints stitched into the seams of the seats and the outline of driving gloves etched into the pop-out tray on the passenger’s side of the dashboard.
The exterior colours of the I-Pace Concept mirror those of the I-Type, Jaguar’s single-seat electric racing car currently competing in Formula E. The manufacturer says lessons it has learned about battery performance at high speeds on the track are being fed back into the road car division.
Jaguar is known to be working on a battery electric SUV. But it may also have a diesel electric hybrid verson of that car under development. The hybrid, which may be called the J-Pace, has been spotted testing by Autocar. Based on the F-Pace SUV, the test mule appears to be longer than the existing model. A 2.0 liter diesel engine coupled to an electric motor or two is rumored to reside under the camouflaged exterior.
Until the Volkswagen’s diesel emissions cheating scandal exploded last September, diesel engines were hugely popular in the UK and in Europe, thanks to two generations of government policies favoring the more fuel efficient engines. Apparently, the demand for diesels still remains among customers on the Continent.
Jaguar is reportedly anxious to create a sub-brand for its green vehicles, all of which will have vastly different styling than its traditional models in much the same way that BMW’s offerings from its “i” division are distinctive from other cars from the Bavarian auto maker. Within that planned family, the diesel-electric hybrid and all electric SUVs may be separate models, each with its own styling.
Autocar suggests the hybrid J-Pace could be a larger model that will slot above the all-electric SUV. Having a hybid powertrain would eliminate any range concerns in a larger vehicle. Eventually, there may be as many as four models in Jaguar’s green car offirings. All will probably use the same aluminum-intensive platform as the current F-Pace and XE sedan.
The all electric SUV is expected to go on sale as early as 2017 with the diesel electric hybrid following along about a year later. Jaguar has reportedly trademarked the names E-Pace and I-Pace but no J-Pace. The use of the word “pace” refers back to previous advertising campaigns based on the slogan, “Grace, Pace, And Space.”
A story in Autocar dated April 19 claims that Jaguar is planning to re-introduce a straight 6 cylinder engine soon. The new engine will essentially add two cylinders to the company’s latest Ingenium 4 cylinder engine. The resulting power unit will displace 3.0 liters and could be turbocharged.
Some may see this as a backwards step in an age when all the chatter is about electric cars. Why is Jaguar developing new internal combustion engines instead of building better electric motors? There is a one word answer to that — marketing. For generations, Jaguar cars have been defined by the dual overhead cam straight 6 engines found under the hoods of its cars. By looping back to that prior era, the company could leverage its winning heritage in international motor racing as a way to build its brand identity.
The Ingenium engine is a modular design, which allows multiple engine configurations to be built on the same assembly line. The Ingenium engines all utilize a basic 500 cc cylinder design, which is the same as BMW uses for its inline 6 cylinder engine. Mercedes also uses an inline 6 cylinder engine in some of its cars.
Jaguar plans on making a 1.5 liter Ingenium three cylinder engine as well as the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine and the upcoming 3.0 liter. All engines in the Ingenium series can be configured to run on gasoline or diesel fuel. When will the new engines get here and what cars will they be installed in? “We can’t comment on future product one way or another,” company spokesperson Nathan Hoyt toldAutoblog.
The Ingenium engines all feature lightweight aluminum castings and reduced internal friction techniques. Both oil and water pumps are electric and can be computer controlled to operate in the most efficient way possible. The engines can be adapted to front, rear, or all wheel drive propulsion systems. Autocar says the straight 6 engine will fit into the engine compartments of several Jaguar models, including the XE, XF, and the forthcoming F-Pace SUV. The new engine would replace the V-6 engine left over from when Ford owned the company.
Jaguar with straight 6 cylinder engine on track at Monaco Historic Races, 2012. Photo by the author.
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.
I remember the day I became a sports car nut. A man in my neighborhood owned a Jaguar XK 120. It was Olde English white with wire wheels and had a red leather interior. My father always drove Chevys. This was about as far a way from a traditional American sedan as it was possible to get. One day, this neighbor took me for a ride in his Jaguar. My head hasn’t really been on straight ever since.
I still remember sitting in the passenger seat. I wasn’t tall enough to see out the windshield, but the top was down, the sun was warm, and there were puffy white clouds in the blue sky overhead. I remember the smell of hot oil wafting back from the engine and mixing with the aroma of warm leather. To this day, I can still hear the bark of that straight 6 engine rumbling in my ears. It was as close to a magic carpet ride as I have ever experienced.
When he brought me home, I started gushing to my parents about this incredible convertible. He smiled and said, “This isn’t a convertible, son. This is a roadster.” My father made the mistake of asking what the difference was. “A convertible has a top you occasionally put down when the weather is ideal. A roadster has a top you only put up when the weather is awful,” he said. That made perfect sense to me. I made up my mind that one day I would own a roadster.
Over the years, I have owned several sports cars — all of them roadsters. I started with a rusted out ’56 MGA that I never did get back into road worthy condition. That was followed by a ’74 MGB that stayed in the family for 20 years. It became my daughter’s go to college car. I tweaked and prodded it into as-new condition, then parked it on the sidewalk outside her high school on her graduation day with a big red bow around it. When she finished her valedictory speech, that was her reward. Her classmates were wicked jealous! You could see it in their eyes. They wished they had gotten a sports car for graduation, too.
12 years ago, I latched on to a lightly used ’94 Mazda Miata. It has taken me to Nova Scotia and back and to NASA track days at Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, and Thompson Speedway. In all that time, it has hardly ever been driven with the top up. The car is completely stock except for an Ansa cat-back exhaust system. When I am driving, I don’t look at the speedometer or the tach. I like to listen to the sound of the engine instead.
There is a young man in my neighborhood who helps my wife and me out with chores around the house. He has worked for us nearly 5 years, most recently helping me build a carport. We had some unusually warm days in November. We finished one phase of the construction project early one day and I asked him if he would like a ride in the Miata. He’s a bit of car nut himself, with a used Subaru Legacy turbo that he has modified as part of his training at the local technical college. I didn’t have to ask him twice.
I live on a lake that is about 3 miles long. There is a very twisty two lane country road that goes all the way around. Traffic is usually light and police presence nonexistent. We put the top down and set off to circumnavigate the lake.
They say a good driver never makes his passenger nervous. I started off slowly enough, getting a feel for just how confident my young friend felt with me driving. As we went along, I pushed harder and harder on the throttle, letting the revs climb close to redline. The curves began sliding swiftly astern.
There is one place where the road takes a sharp right turn. As we approached, I jumped hard on the brakes as I shifted down from 4th to 3rd to 2nd, then punched the throttle at the apex. The rear stepped out slightly and I reined it back in with a touch of countersteer. My friend had a grin the size of Jupiter on his face. It was a beautiful day, with puffy white clouds swirling by overhead, just like they were the day I got to ride in that XX 120 years ago.
We got back to my house, switched off, and started to put the top up. “I gotta get a convertible!” my young friend said. “No, you need to get yourself a roadster,” I told him. Then I explained the difference, just as it had been explained to me.
A few weeks later, he sent me a text. He was looking at used Miatas and wanted my advice. I like to think that years from now, long after I have shuffled off this mortal coil, he will be taking another young man, maybe his own son, for a ride down a country lane in a roadster with the top down, the sound of the exhaust tickling their ear drums, and puffy white clouds rushing by overhead.
Some people look forward to the coming age of self driving cars. That may prove to be a wonderful thing, but I am doing my best to pass on the art of driving to the next generation. I look forward to the time when I can teach my own grandkids the difference between a convertible and a roadster. No matter how technologically advanced cars may become, I hope there will always be a place in this world for roadsters!
The immediate popularity of the sold-out Tesla Model X is the spark that will light the fuse for an explosion of electric SUV models from the world’s automakers. Audi plans to have its Q6 e-tron quattro ready by 2018. Volvo is busy converting its XC90 to electric power. According to Autocar, Jaguar says it intends to crash the party in 2017 with a 4 motor electric SUV featuring “revolutionary” styling that will set it apart from other Jaguar models in the same way BMW i cars are distinctive from every other car the Bavarian automaker builds.
Right now, the best information is that the new Jag — which has yet to have a name, although the company has filed for a trademark on “EV Type” — will have 300 miles of range from 4 electric motors driving the wheels via half shafts. However, parent company Tata does have experience with in-wheel electric motors and may be pushing engineers to provide the same technology for the new Jaguar SUV to further set it apart for “ordinary” cars.
In-wheel motors add unsprung weight to the corners, weight that works against the crisp handling that is the signature trait of Jaguar automobiles. But modern digital technology may make it possible for an active suspension system to overcome much of that disadvantage. We know that Honda is working on a new CR-Z with four in-wheel motors. They may be the wave of the future, as they open up all sorts of possibilities to repackage passengers and cargo in new and innovative ways.
Jaguar says if we want a hint of what the new car will look like, we need look no further than the super sexy, drool inducing shape of the C-X75 concept car it introduced in Paris in 2010. That car featured 4 electric motors, a 30 mile range, and 2 diesel turbine range extender engines. The car was never produced, weighed down by a $1,000,000 price tag in a time of global economic pain. But those of us who have seen Spectre, the latest James Bond movie, saw one of the prototypes brought out of mothballs for a chase scene along rain slicked streets in Rome.
That was no accident. Jaguar specifically requested the producers include the car in their movie because they plan to draw inspiration for the new SUV from its slinky shape. How a two passenger, ultra-low sports car will transform itself into a 7 passenger SUV with a high center of gravity remains a mystery at this point. (Full disclosure: my wife and I went to see Spectre last weekend. Afterwards, she asked me if that orange car in the chase scene was a Tesla.)
If you are wondering what is so revolutionary about the concept drawing that accompanies this story, you are not alone. That car could be from Volvo or Hyundai or any one of a number of other manufacturers. If that’s what Jaguar has in mind, they are already far down the wrong road.
The new Jag is expected to sell for around $80,000. It’s probably no coincidence that happens to be exactly the starting price of a Tesla Model X. Soon the world will be awash in electric SUV’s. No one is sure how that will help slow global warming, but at least we can all drive to the last sunset in style.
Despite comments from company representatives that battery technology is still too immature to allow for the company to release electric vehicles, Jaguar Land Rover recently showcased 3 new electric vehicle (EV) platforms for Concept_e research via the CENEX Low Carbon Vehicle event in the UK. The platforms are relevant both to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and to pure EVs.
The new platforms are partly the result of a $25 million next-gen power train research program partly supported by the government of the UK. None of the concept platforms are currently expected to be developed into mass-market offerings, however.
As alluded to above, Jaguar representatives have previously claimed that the company wouldn’t be able to satisfy the expectations of its customers with regard to vehicle performance if it offered electric vehicles (this includes PHEVs). Ignoring the question of Tesla’s offerings, but considering the many high-performance PHEVs out there currently, I can’t help but remain skeptical of that assertion.
Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth had this to say about electric vehicle technology at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Birmingham earlier this year: “Customers are not impressed with it currently. Battery technology today is still too heavy, too expensive and the [power] density is too low. As we learned at school, there’s this correlation between mass and energy and as long as this is not favorable, even if you recuperate, this is an issue.”
Technically he is not wrong, but a lot of other automakers are making it work and the technology is evolving extremely fast. He is the CEO of a company with a century of expertise in internal combustion engines, letting go of such expertise to focus on something entirely new, like electric motors and battery technology, would be an understandably difficult thing to do.
Regardless of those comments, though, the company does seem to be making some first (or second) steps towards the technology and market. Perhaps we’ll live to see the company release an electric vehicle at some point after all?
Beautiful poise and supple handling earns this smallest Jag a class-leading recommendation. It's not perfect, mind, but it's very good.
What is it?:
One of two all-important four-cylinder diesel versions of the newJaguar XE. You’ll have seen the cringe-worthy, overcooked TV advertising campaign and you may even have seen one on the road - or perhaps on the back of a vehicle transporter. But will you be driving one?
The numbers in the brochure give the XE every chance. With the entry-level diesel version priced at under £30,000, emitting less than 100g/km of CO2 and getting an 8.0in touchscreen multimedia system, sat-nav, DAB radio and cruise control as standard, it’s got the makings of a popular fleet saloon.
But it’s the higher-output 2.0-litre ‘Ingenium’ turbodiesel that’s under scrutiny here, and it has some equally competitive power, torque, performance, economy and emissions figures. We’re testing the eight-speed automatic version, in higher-end Portfolio trim.
What's it like?:
Many of the same observations we made of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol XE road-tested earlier this month also apply to the oil-burner. It’s a handsome design and recognisably a Jaguar, but it’s not as stylish or daring as its bigger four-door siblings.
Gaydon has played it a bit safe with this car, and understandably so given that it has ambitious volume targets for it. The sharply drawn front-end and fuselage profile are stand-out visual features, although the car is less distinctive from the rear, where it borrows more styling cues from the German opposition.
Inside the cabin, the XE adopts a similar position to those of the XF and XJ relative to their market rivals. It’s not quite as plush or as accommodating as some at the price, but it makes a virtue out of its simplicity and compactness.
Occupant space for the driver is adequate, but snug rather than generous. A slightly high-mounted seat combines with a typically graceful swooping Jaguar roofline to limit headroom for taller drivers. The closeness of the extremities of the footwell, meanwhile, and the raised centre console, support your knees and elbows rather than restrict your movement.
Second-row cabin space is broadly competitive although short of the standard of the most practical compact executive saloons, so full-sized adults may struggle a wee bit for knee and head room. The boot is a fair size but the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series offer a little more cargo space.
Jaguar isn’t known for outstanding material cabin quality and won’t be changing its reputation by out-dazzling the likes of Audi and Mercedes with the XE. The car’s interior is nonetheless very pleasant, fairly luxurious and consistently well-finished.
The black plastics and leathers of our test car were a bit plain, but lighter and more visually appealing two-tone upholsteries are offered. The car’s switchgear is all either grained or rubberised, and its instruments are pleasingly conventional and clear.
For a brand new engine, Jaguar’s ‘Ingenium’ 2.0-litre turbodiesel doesn’t make the greatest of first impressions. Starting with some notable shake and shudder, its audible signature is a little more coarse than the most refined four-cylinders, and it remains so under load and at high revs.
It offers strong low and mid-range pulling power, though, and while you’d bet that its outright performance isn’t quite segment-leading, it’s well metered out by ZF’s excellent eight-speed automatic ’box.
The transmission’s natural bias is to upshift early and keep the engine spinning at fairly low revs, where it’s at its quietest and most economical. Throttle response at those crankspeeds is good, however, and power delivery is pleasingly muscular and elastic.
Cycle through Dynamic, S and manual paddleshift modes and you can make the gearbox hold a ratio for as long as you like, but the reward for doing so isn’t as compelling as it might be. While the engine revs more freely than some, it doesn’t do so all that willingly beyond 4000rpm.
Better, really, to settle for a more typical, torque-propelled turbodiesel driving style. The XE 2.0d 180 can certainly be spirited along quite quickly that way, and has grip and handling composure to spare on the road.
The car’s most laudable qualities are its fluent, consistent and uncorrupted steering, its balance and precision when cornering and its expertly judged blend of body control compromised against a supple and quiet ride. On all of those fronts, it’s king of the compact executive class.
Our test car had standard passive suspension, although firmer sports springs and adaptive dampers are available as an option. But the XE needs neither to feel athletic and involving, and to conjure an effortless and instant sense of poise that a BMW 3-series will only approach in perfect specification and dynamic setting.
The XE’s steering is quite quick just off-centre but is predictable and feelsome thereafter. Moreover, the suspension doesn’t seem to need to resort to overly firm springing or uncompromising anti-roll control in order to maintain good grip, body control or directional response.
Ultimately it handles cross-country roads with a dexterity unknown to most small saloons, and manages to feel at once stable, compliant and well-damped at motorway speeds.
Should I buy one?:
Do you care more about the dynamic performance of your business saloon than anything else? Since you’re reading this, we’ll assume that you do, and if you do, the XE makes a strong case for itself. Narrowly – and perhaps only for the likes of us – a winning one.
The XE doesn’t dominate its rivals like the current BMW 3 Series did at launch, leaving at least a bit to be desired on practicality, material quality and mechanical refinement. But it’s a competitive prospect even where’s it's relatively weak: something you’d never have said of the old X-type.
Moreover, Jaguar has evidently concentrated its budget and effort where it knows it can create a real selling point for the XE: on driver appeal. And, as ever, we’re a sucker for it.
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