Photo: Jaguar
Most traditional carmakers seem to be suffering from a sudden case of electrification frenzy, and out of them all, the Brits at Jaguar manage to stand inside the premium segment.
Despite not having an EV in its lineup yet - or, indeed, a plug-in hybrid, except if you go looking at the sister brand Land Rover Range Rover - Jaguar will be the first to bring a competitive battery-powered model in the shape and form of the I-PACE crossover.
A lot has been made of the I-PACE and, to be honest, we're quite excited to see it, not to mention drive it, but it could soon be nothing more than a drop in the ocean as the brand seemingly looks to expand its portfolio of zero emissions vehicles.
Jaguar has said that, by 2020, all of its new models will come with some sort of electrification, but in most cases, this refers to the use of hybrid systems. While the new revelation doesn't mean they will all be BEVs, it does suggest we could expect more electric vehicles to follow.
Ian Callum, the company's design director, talked about the upcoming XJ recently, saying the luxury sedan is "nearly signed off" and that they have "come up with something quite special." At that time, we couldn't say exactly what he meant, but this new report suggests there was much more to his teaser than we could have imagined.
British media outlet Autocar claims the XJ replacement will continue to be the brand's flagship model, but it will represent a great departure from the current model in almost every other aspect. Most importantly, though, it will exclusively use an electric powertrain, making it the company's second battery-powered model after the I-PACE.
The website also says the new XJ will switch from the four-door sedan configuration to a more practical five-door hatchback, but without hampering its luxury credentials. If it all sounds a bit Tesla Model S-like to you, then you're not the only one. However, the XJ would still have to be able to sway BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class buyers, so it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
With Ian Callum in charge of design, there's no question whether the new car is going to be visually appealing or not. And since Jaguar is making important progress regarding its electric powertrains, if the report checks out, we really can't see any reason why the XJ - launching toward the end of this year for a 2019 commercial debut - won't be a hit.
A lot has been made of the I-PACE and, to be honest, we're quite excited to see it, not to mention drive it, but it could soon be nothing more than a drop in the ocean as the brand seemingly looks to expand its portfolio of zero emissions vehicles.
Jaguar has said that, by 2020, all of its new models will come with some sort of electrification, but in most cases, this refers to the use of hybrid systems. While the new revelation doesn't mean they will all be BEVs, it does suggest we could expect more electric vehicles to follow.
Ian Callum, the company's design director, talked about the upcoming XJ recently, saying the luxury sedan is "nearly signed off" and that they have "come up with something quite special." At that time, we couldn't say exactly what he meant, but this new report suggests there was much more to his teaser than we could have imagined.
British media outlet Autocar claims the XJ replacement will continue to be the brand's flagship model, but it will represent a great departure from the current model in almost every other aspect. Most importantly, though, it will exclusively use an electric powertrain, making it the company's second battery-powered model after the I-PACE.
The website also says the new XJ will switch from the four-door sedan configuration to a more practical five-door hatchback, but without hampering its luxury credentials. If it all sounds a bit Tesla Model S-like to you, then you're not the only one. However, the XJ would still have to be able to sway BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class buyers, so it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
With Ian Callum in charge of design, there's no question whether the new car is going to be visually appealing or not. And since Jaguar is making important progress regarding its electric powertrains, if the report checks out, we really can't see any reason why the XJ - launching toward the end of this year for a 2019 commercial debut - won't be a hit.
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