Jaguar has taken the wraps off its first electric sportscar, the Type 01EV, at a star-studded event in New York. The launch marks the culmination of a two-year transformation that has divided opinion, as the British marque seeks to shed its staid image and court a younger, more affluent clientele—particularly in the United States.
The Type 01EV is a four-door grand tourer with a sharp, brutalist aesthetic that is a deliberate departure from the smooth, understated elegance that defined Jaguars for decades. The company says the design embodies its revived motto, “Copy Nothing,” and is the first model built on its new Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA), a dedicated platform for future EVs.
A car built for American highways, not European streets
At 5.2 metres long and 2 metres wide, the Type 01EV is longer than many SUVs and will be a tight squeeze in European parking garages. Its low-slung profile—just 1.4 metres tall—gives it a sleek, coupe-like silhouette, but its dimensions are clearly aimed at the vast, open roads of the United States, where Jaguar hopes to win over a new generation of buyers.
That focus on America is a strategic shift for a brand that has long been associated with British heritage and motorsport pedigree. The company’s previous models, from the iconic E-Type—once described by Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful car ever made”—to the more recent saloons and SUVs, were beloved by enthusiasts but struggled to compete with German rivals like BMW and Mercedes-Benz on volume, or with Porsche and Bentley on exclusivity.
Jaguar’s parent company, Jaguar Land Rover, has been through a turbulent period. A cyberattack last year forced a halt in production, and the company subsequently announced 4,000 job cuts as part of a cost-saving drive. The Type 01EV is a bet that a radical redesign can revive the brand’s fortunes.
Impressive specs, but at a price
Under the skin, the Type 01EV is a technological tour de force. Its electric motor produces 1,015 horsepower, propelling the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 2.2 seconds—faster than a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The battery offers a range of 769 kilometres (478 miles) on a single charge, and with 350 kW fast-charging capability, drivers can add 321 kilometres of range in just 13 minutes.
However, that performance comes at a cost. The Type 01EV weighs in at 2,700 kilograms, significantly heavier than its rivals, and its base price in Europe is expected to start at around €140,000, with bespoke options pushing the price beyond €200,000. That puts it firmly in the luxury segment, competing with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQS and the Porsche Taycan.
Jaguar insists the car retains its British soul, with design, engineering, and assembly all taking place in the UK. Orders are scheduled to open in early 2027, with first deliveries in Europe expected in the second half of that year.
A controversial rebrand
The Type 01EV’s launch comes after a rebrand in 2024 that sparked widespread criticism. The company’s advertising campaign featured no cars at all, instead showing models in brightly coloured clothing with slogans like “live vivid” and “delete ordinary.” Critics, including political figures such as Donald Trump and Nigel Farage, accused Jaguar of “going woke,” while Elon Musk quipped on X, “Do you sell cars?”
Jaguar defended the campaign, telling Sky News at the time that the company wanted “to be bold and disruptive.” The new model is the proof of that ambition, but whether it will win over the younger, wealthier buyers Jaguar is chasing remains to be seen.
For Europe, the Type 01EV’s size and price may limit its appeal, but it signals a broader trend: the continent’s carmakers are increasingly looking to the US market for growth, even as Mercedes reports a drop in global sales amid shifting EV demand. Jaguar’s gamble is a bold one, and the coming years will show whether it pays off.
