The new technology is expected to spread across the entire Jaguar model range, with the the XJ being the first model to go green. The “hybrid” badge is expected to come with a $14,500 price premium. The first hybrid Jaguars should hit the market by 2014, as they will be released subsequent to the hybrid Land Rovers.
Jaguar Land Rover is currently testing a hybrid powertrain consisting of its 3.0 liter turbocharged V6 diesel engine and a 35kW electric motor. This is used with a new ZF eight speed automatic transmission.
The upcoming Jaguar hybrids will use a 350V electric system, which is powered by a lithium ion battery and features a kinetic energy recovery system. The application will evolve into a plug-in hybrid system starting from 2015, offering even more advantages for customers.
Back in February, Tata Motors, the owner of Jaguar Land Rover, secured a 340 million pounds loan from the European Investment Bank for the development of hybrid vehicles. Subsequent to that, the company recruited a team of 50 engineers with experience in hybrid-related fields, who would join the company’s special hybrid development staff. The new development pathway will see Jaguar Land Rover develop both petrol- and diesel-electric powertrains, which will make their way into the Land Rover and Jaguar vehicle line-ups.
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