Jaguar has unveiled its new electric vehicle, the production-ready Type 01, at a launch event in New York on Tuesday evening. The reveal comes two years after the marque's globally controversial rebranding exercise.
UK-designed model with 400-mile range
Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, the motor features a four-seat configuration with a distinctive central "spine" running through the cabin interior. It is powered by a 118kWh battery capable of delivering an anticipated range of up to 400 miles, according to the firm.
The reveal follows controversy when Jaguar announced a series of sweeping changes in November 2024, as part of its transition to becoming an all-electric brand. These alterations encompassed a bespoke new logo, styled as JaGUar, a revised prancing "leaper" cat emblem and marketing phrases including "delete ordinary", "live vivid" and "copy nothing".
Rebrand criticism and response
A promotional video shared by the firm on X at the time showcased individuals dressed in vibrant attire but featured no cars whatsoever, triggering criticism amongst some 120,000 comments. American entrepreneur Elon Musk, the largest individual shareholder in electric vehicle maker Tesla, enquired "Do you sell cars?", to which Jaguar responded "Yes", accompanied by an invitation to an event in Miami.
Manufacturing of the new model is scheduled to commence in 2027 at Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR) Solihull production facility in the West Midlands, with electric drive units and battery assemblies being produced in Wolverhampton and bodywork panels in Halewood, Merseyside.
Leadership and government backing
PB Balaji, chief executive at JLR, said: "The unveiling of Type 01 marks the beginning of an exciting new era for Jaguar. Combining British heritage, bold creativity, advanced technology and groundbreaking engineering, it reflects our ambition to create objects of desire that will help us invite a new generation of clients into Jaguar's loyal and passionate customer base."
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: "Jaguar's new EV is a crucial step in JLR's plans to invest over £15 billion in the UK, and another big vote of confidence in our world-class automotive industry. This cutting-edge new model being designed, engineered and built in Britain will support thousands of jobs across the West Midlands and North West, and builds on over £1 billion of UK automotive investment secured just last month – marking another step forward in our mission to reindustrialise Britain."
Orders and company challenges
Prospective buyers will be able to place orders for the Jaguar Type 01 from early next year, with a starting price of £130,000, according to the firm.
Last month, JLR announced plans to cut 4,000 positions across its global workforce over the next two years, as part of a drive to reduce costs by £1.7 billion. The redundancies are largely anticipated to affect office-based roles, with the bulk of job losses hitting its UK operations, where approximately 34,000 members of staff are employed in total. Just under 10,000 personnel are based at the company's overseas operations.
The news comes as JLR presses ahead with its recovery following a significant cyber attack that brought production to a standstill last year. Sales have continued to face headwinds amid fierce competition from lower-cost Chinese electric vehicles, while the company has also grappled with spiralling costs and the knock-on effects of US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
According to figures released last week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, a record 99,199 battery electric cars were sold across the UK in September. The organisation noted that consumers were responding positively to a wider range of models, manufacturer incentives and government grants.
