I say, sir, a plug- in E- Type?

It’s enough to make you splutter your G& T all over your newspaper; a fully-electric version of a classic Jaguar E- Type? I say! Still, the lack of engine noise will make shouting a jaunty “Hello!” at pretty ladies from within the Jag all the easier, what!

Jaguar Land Rover Classic ( the team of craftspeople charged with bringing models from JLR’s storied past back to life through intensive restoration to microscopically- exacting detail) has rebuilt a 1968 Series 1.5 E- Type roadster in the form of that most zeitgeist- ish of personal transportation; a zero emissions electric car.

Rather than some creaky old classic with a few batteries under the floorboards, the E- Type Zero is apparently loaded with cutting- edge ‘ leccy tech that will enable it to silently sprint from standing to 100km/ h in 5.5 seconds. It also boasts a ‘ real world’ range of 270km from its 40kWh lithiumion battery pack. Peak power output translates to 220kW in new money.

Apart from the powertrain, energyefficient LED headlights and some modern embellishments to the late- 60s cabin ( the Jaguar Drive Control dial being the most obvious departure from script), the car is as original as possible. Even the battery pack was designed to weigh about the same as the original roadster’s six- cylinder petrol engine, and is under the E- Type’s long bonnet.

It’s a rather cool recreation of an icon. But here’s a stat that’ll give you pause for thought: despite being 46kg lighter than the original car, the E- Type Zero’s 5.5 second 0- 100km/ h sprint time is only a second faster than the Series 1 E- Type. Turns out the original E- Type really was a ridiculously quick cat.