You can have your own electric Jaguar E-Type
Jaguar builds one-off EV around classic chassis as part of its Classic Works, but says it can do more for interested customers
Ronan Glon
Jaguar’s shift toward electrification isn’t limited to models launched after 2020. The production version of the all-electric I-Pace concept is scheduled to reach showrooms next year, and the British company unveiled a battery-powered E-Type Zero during the first-ever JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) Tech Fest in London, England.
The convertible looks fully stock when it’s viewed from the outside, though eagle-eyed readers will notice it’s equipped with LED headlights and it doesn’t have exhaust pipes. A peek under the E’s long hood reveals that the straight-six engine the car left the factory with in 1968 has been tossed out and replaced by a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery pack which zaps a 295-horsepower electric motor. The motor sends its power to the E-Type’s rear wire wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission and through the stock rear differential.
Mike Goodbun, the global PR managerforJLR’sSpecialOperationsdivision, confirmed there are no plans to offer a manual transmission. He explained there is no need for it, and it wouldn’t suit the drivetrain.
Surprisingly, the Zero is 46 kilograms lighter than a standard 1968 E-Type, and its weight distribution hasn’t changed. It performs the benchmark zero-to-100-km/h sprint in 5.5 seconds, about a full second faster than stock, and it offers a real-world driving range of up to 270 km. That’s more than the BMW i3 and the brand-new second-generation Nissan Leaf. It takes six or seven hours to fully charge the battery pack, depending on which type of charger it uses.
Vital information about the car (such as the battery’s state of charge) and its surroundings is displayed on a configurable digital instrument cluster in a brand-new dashboard made out of carbon fibre. Jaguar also added a navigation-enabled touch screen, and a rotary gear selector.
Powertrain and interior aside, the Zero is standard E-Type fare. The brakes, steering and suspension are carried over without major modifications, which ensures the prototype drives, steers, and handles like an E-Type — it just doesn’t sound like one. Jaguar hasn’t installed an artificial sound generator, though we were told it would be relatively simple to add one.
It took Jaguar about a year to develop and build the E-Type Zero. Goodbun explained the most difficult part of the process was making sure the electric drivetrain’s components fit in the E-Type without making structural changes. Hacking into the E-Type’s sheet metal was out of the question, even if it’s a part of the car not visible to the naked eye. The decision helps preserve the car’s authenticity, and it ensures the original straight-six engine can be put back into the car if needed (or wanted). The E-Type Zero is currently a one-off model built to gauge demand among collectors and enthusiasts tired of leaving engine oil stains everywhere they go. Jaguar Classic Works is open to the idea of adding the electric conversion to the list of services it offers customers who want their car restored by the factory. Goodbun says the total conversion would cost about £300,000, which converts to approximately $476,000. Of course, pricing and specifications are subject to change if or when production starts.
It’s not just the E-Type that might be receiving an electric motor and a battery pack in the not-too-distant future. The powertrain is roughly the same size and shape as the XK straight-six engine that powered numerous Jaguar models from the late 1940s to the early 1990s, so it can be installed in anything from a Mark 2 sedan to an XJ6. Jaguar hopes it will, too, and it’s eager to begin series production as quickly as possible.