Jaguar’s Type 01 Is A Radical EV That Laughs At Convention

It’s been almost a year since Jaguar ended production of its combustion-powered models, gearing up for the launch of its long-awaited Type 01 EV. This pivot model for the brand has finally been unveiled in New York, sporting a design just as radical as the concept that inspired it, and ushering in a new era for the historic British brand.

When Jaguar announced in early 2021 that it was done trying to rival BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz and instead wanted to rival Porsche and Bentley with an all-electric product portfolio, many scoffed. After all, it’s uncommon for a brand with the heritage of Jaguar to embark on such a radical change. The Type 01 is the culmination of more than half a decade worth of work and will be make-or-break for the company.

Read: Jaguar’s 1,000 HP Type 01 Is Chasing Bentley Money And Influencers On Monaco’s Streets

Positioned beneath the radical bodywork is the new Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA). The EV comes standard with a 118-kWh NMC battery and an 850-volt electrical architecture. Thanks to its support of 350-kW DC fast charging, the Jaguar can charge from 10-80 percent in 22 minutes.

Then there’s the power. The Type 01 is launching with three electric motors, combining to deliver 1,015 horsepower and 1,007 pound-feet (1,365 Nm) of torque. The brand has yet to quote any performance figures, but it’ll obviously be rapid. Jaguar says the EV has an EPA driving range of 400 miles (644 km).

Talk To Me About The Design

There’s very little about the EV’s design that surprises us, given all the lightly disguised prototypes Jaguar has been parading about in recent months. It looks mostly like the Type 00 concept, but it’s sprouted an extra set of doors and has some slightly less aggressive surfaces. It obviously looks unlike any other road-going Jaguar to come before it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Jaguar clearly wants to make a statement with it, and they’ve done just that.

The front lacks a typical grille, but it does feature small gloss-black intakes positioned at the base of the bumper. A big change between the finished Type 01 and the concept is the presence of a large charging port on the driver’s side front fender, which is admittedly a bit of an eyesore.

Like on the concept, the EV’s shoulder line sits high, and the roof is low, meaning the side windows are extraordinarily small. Helping to ensure the cabin doesn’t feel like a tomb is a large panoramic glass roof stretching over all four seats. Other key elements include large, multi-spoke wheels, handles sitting flush with the doors, and fairly conventional wing mirrors, whereas the concept had none. Like the concept and the Polestar 4, it also has no rear window.

A Space-Age Cabin

The interior is just as radical as the exterior. It has the same bold two-spoke steering wheel as has been previewed on the upcoming Range Rover GT, featuring two large touch surfaces with phone and audio controls. Perhaps the most surprising, and welcome, part of the cabin is the lack of a huge, tablet-like infotainment screen as is becoming common in so many new EVs.

Instead, the Jaguar Type 01 has a large 24-inch digital instrument cluster that displays all the important vehicle information, as well as the navigation.

Positioned on the large central spine running through the cabin is a small, seven-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen to control the vehicle’s climate control and audio settings. There’s no rear-view mirror, and instead, the Type 01 has a small ‘ClearSight Rear View Display,’ located at the base of the windshield, allowing drivers to see out the rear.

As Jaguar wants to position itself as a Bentley rival, it’s surprising to see just how few physical switches and controls are found in the cabin. Jaguar has obviously gone for a minimalist design, but on first impressions, it doesn’t exactly exude luxury. With that being said, the Type 01 does come with a thumping 38-speaker audio system.

How Much Will It Cost?

Jaguar will open order books for the Type 01 early next year and expects to start customer deliveries in the second half of the year. In the UK, prices will start at £130,000, while in the US, prices are expected to start at roughly $130,000.