British carmaker Jaguar, one of the world’s most iconic car brands, has debuted its much-hyped Type 01 electric luxury four-door GT, which will launch in Australia next year, priced from around $300,000.
The Type 01 has been the focus of intense speculation as it is the production version of the polarising Type 00 which Jaguar unveiled at the end of 2024. Jaguar described the Type 00 as “unmistakable, unexpected, and dramatic” and a supposedly “fearless statement”, with concept artwork that seemed directly inspired by the art deco Batmobile from the 1990s Batman: The Animated Series cartoon.
As is to be expected when a car transitions from two-dimensional pastel concept art to a three-dimensional physical vehicle, the Jaguar Type 01 has lost some of its stylised art deco lines, but only slightly.
Jaguar’s new electric grand tourer is billed as the company’s most technical advanced car ever engineered, boasting more than 360 patent applications. It is also the most aerodynamic Jaguar ever made, with a three-stage deployable spoiler and airflow optimisation which combine to deliver a drag co-efficient of 0.23.
The Type 01 also claims to be the most powerful Jaguar road car, with up to 757 kilowatts (kW) of power and 1,365 Nm of torque from a trio of engines, capable of reaching a 100-kilometre sprint in 3.2 seconds.
A 118-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery lithium-ion battery offers up to 643 kilometres (km) of range (EPA), while its 850-volt architecture and DC fast charging of up to 350 kW means the car can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 22 minutes, or add 321 km of range in 13 minutes.
Intelligent split-charging capability allows the Type 01 to get the most out of whichever charger it is plugged into, including up to 250 kW charging at 400 volts and an on-board AC charger at up to 22 kW.
The tri-motor electric powertrain combines a 260 kW front motor with twin 310 kW rear motors – though the rear motors can be deactivated when their additional performance is not required and better efficiency is desired, adding an additional 30 kilometres of range.
The Type 01 measures 5,235mm in length and has a wall-to-wall turning circle of 11.5 metres – meaning it will only just fit into a standard Australian parking space. Conversely – and ironically, considering the company’s origins – the Type 001 is too long for standard UK parking spaces.
Up front, a single glass 24-inch OLED driver display is paired with a secondary smartphone-style 7-inch screen within easy reach of both the driver and front passenger, and which is used to perform frequent tasks such as adjusting the climate or media controls.
A new voice assistant has also been added which Jaguar says has been “designed to understand conversational, multi-step instructions so drivers can keep their hands on the wheel and their focus on the road.”
Pulling from the Polestar playbook, there is no rear window, relying instead on a “ClearSight Rear View Display” which has been positioned at the same height as the door mirrors.
While Jaguar hasn’t released a lot of images, what we can see suggests there is plenty of room for the front two seats, but less for the rear two – emphasis on two, as a central spine runs through the length of the cabin to create “individual spaces for each occupant.”
The book also looks like it has been crimped with the exterior design of the car tapering in, with Jaguar claiming the boot offers over 450 litres of loadspace, which expands to 1,000 litres when the rear seats are folded down.
Jaguar promised that a “state of the art home charging solution” will be available to Australian customers when the Type 01 lands next year, with additional details about the car and public charging support to be announced closer to a local launch.
What we do know, though, is that the Jaguar Type 01 will go on sale from approximately $300,000 before on-road costs.
