Jaguar has officially pulled the cover off the car that is supposed to rescue the British luxury brand from its identity crisis: the new Jaguar Type 01. It is electric, dramatically styled, wildly powerful, and about as subtle as a peacock wearing a tuxedo.
The Type 01 is a luxury four-door grand tourer and the first production Jaguar built on the company’s dedicated Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA). Jaguar isn’t describing this as merely another new model. It calls it the beginning of a new era—and considering the company has effectively reinvented the brand around electrification and modern luxury, that’s probably not marketing hyperbole.
Whether buyers agree with Jaguar’s vision remains to be seen.
Jaguar Goes Big, Low and Loud
The Type 01 is unmistakably influenced by the dramatic Type 00 concept that previewed Jaguar’s new design direction. It has a long hood, short front overhang, low roofline, extended rear section and enormous 23-inch wheels.
In other words, Jaguar has created an electric car that looks like it wants to eat other electric cars.
The design is intentionally different from the increasingly interchangeable shapes found throughout the luxury EV market. Jaguar says the car was developed from a blank sheet of paper, with designers and engineers working together to preserve the original proportions rather than allowing engineering constraints to dictate the shape.
That approach also produced some serious aerodynamic work. Active vanes, a three-stage deployable spoiler and other airflow-management tricks give the Type 01 a claimed drag coefficient of just 0.23.
That’s particularly impressive considering this is a large luxury GT wearing wheels that could double as small satellite dishes.
Jaguar also describes the Type 01 as a modern interpretation of its heritage, with inspiration from legendary cars such as the E-Type and XJS. The important distinction is that Jaguar isn’t attempting to build a retro car. Instead, it is taking the visual drama associated with those cars and dragging it into the electric era.
Three Motors and Enough Power to Make Your Eyebrows Nervous
The Type 01 isn’t exactly an exercise in restraint.
Its tri-motor electric powertrain produces up to 1,030 PS and 1,365 Nm of torque. That’s enough to propel the big GT from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds.
Jaguar isn’t stopping with a big launch number, either. The company says the Type 01 can accelerate from 62 to 112 mph in just 4.0 seconds.
That’s the kind of performance that makes the phrase “power in reserve” considerably less theoretical.
The three motors work with Jaguar’s Intelligent Torque Vectoring system to distribute power where it is needed. Jaguar says the system has been developed with knowledge gained from its Formula E racing program, which should help give the Type 01 something more interesting than simply the ability to win traffic-light drag races.
The car also has a claimed 50:50 weight distribution, another indication that Jaguar is trying to make the Type 01 behave like a proper driver’s car rather than simply becoming another luxury EV that happens to be very quick.
Jaguar says there are two dynamic characters built into the car, combining the expected performance with a more relaxed grand-touring personality.
That seems appropriate. After all, a 1,030-PS luxury GT that only knows how to attack corners would be a rather expensive way to develop a nervous twitch.
The Battery Is Big, Too
Underneath the dramatic body is a 118-kWh usable battery connected to an 850-volt electrical architecture.
Jaguar estimates an EPA range of up to 400 miles, although that figure remains subject to certification. The company also estimates up to 320 miles of range when cruising at a constant 75 mph.
That’s an important number for a car intended to be a grand tourer. A vehicle designed for long-distance luxury travel needs to be more than spectacular in the parking lot. It needs to cross actual distances without turning every road trip into an electrical logistics exercise.
Fast charging is equally important. Jaguar says the Type 01 can add up to 200 miles of range in approximately 13 minutes when connected to a 350-kW DC fast charger.
Naturally, actual charging performance will depend on battery temperature, state of charge, charger capability and a host of other factors. But the underlying 850-volt architecture gives Jaguar the hardware necessary to compete with the quickest-charging luxury EVs.
Inside, Jaguar Has Gone Minimalist
The interior continues the Type 01’s attempt to be something other than a conventional luxury sedan with an electric powertrain.
A central spine runs through the cabin, dividing the interior into individual spaces. Brass-effect anodized aluminum elements run longitudinally through the cabin, emphasizing the car’s length.
The driver’s primary interface is a huge 24-inch single-glass OLED display. There’s also a smaller seven-inch touchscreen between the driver and front passenger for frequently used controls.
And because apparently every luxury vehicle now needs to double as a concert hall, Jaguar has developed an elaborate audio system featuring a full-width Panoramic Soundbar and Sensory Audio seats.
The idea is to make sound something occupants experience throughout the cabin rather than simply something coming out of speakers.
Jaguar is also leaning heavily into craftsmanship and visual drama. Exterior finishes include gloss and satin options, while the Fender Ingot incorporates the familiar Jaguar leaper into the design.
There is very little about the Type 01 that could be mistaken for an appliance.
A New Jaguar Built Around a New Architecture
Perhaps the most significant thing about the Type 01 isn’t its horsepower, screen size or styling. It’s the architecture underneath.
The JEA platform was created specifically for Jaguar and is intended to allow the company to develop vehicles around the proportions and driving characteristics it wants rather than adapting an existing platform.
Jaguar says more than 360 patent applications were generated during development of the Type 01.
That’s a considerable engineering effort for a car that essentially represents Jaguar starting over.
The Type 01 will also be built in Britain. Production is scheduled to begin in 2027 at JLR’s Solihull operation, with electric drive units and battery packs produced in Wolverhampton and pressed body panels manufactured at Halewood.
Jaguar isn’t merely trying to reinvent the product. It’s attempting to make the manufacturing process part of the British identity it wants the new brand to project.
The Big Question: Is This Jaguar’s Comeback?
The Type 01 is certainly ambitious.
Jaguar has abandoned the familiar strategy of building a range of relatively conventional luxury cars and instead appears determined to turn the brand into something more exclusive, more dramatic and considerably more expensive.
Orders are expected to open in early 2027, with first customer deliveries anticipated during the second half of the year. Jaguar says pricing will start at £130,000 in the UK.
That’s serious money, and it puts the Type 01 firmly into a segment where buyers have plenty of alternatives.
But Jaguar clearly isn’t trying to win a spreadsheet comparison.
The Type 01 is supposed to be an object of desire. It’s supposed to make people stop, stare and wonder what on earth just drove past them.
That is actually a very Jaguar-like goal.
For decades, the company’s greatest cars have succeeded not because they were the most rational choices, but because they made their owners feel something. The Type 01 is an attempt to recapture that emotional connection in an era when electric powertrains are rapidly becoming commonplace.
Whether Jaguar has succeeded won’t be determined by its 1,030 PS, 400-mile range or 3.2-second acceleration time. Those numbers are impressive, but the luxury EV market is becoming crowded with impressive numbers.
The real test is whether the Type 01 feels special.
Jaguar desperately needs it to.
