Flair Magazine Enzo Ferrari famously described the Jaguar E-Type as “the most beautiful car ever made”, and it’s hard to argue. In contrast, most modern electric cars leave a lot to be desired in the looks department. So Jaguar decided to convert an original 1960s E-Type into a fully electric sports car concept for the modern age. Dubbed the Jaguar E-Type Zero, this all-electric beauty is the latest creation from Jaguar Land Rover Classic, a division that gives some of the company’s most iconic cars new leases of life as continuation models. We are fast fans of this new ride, a true marriage of the best of old and new.
Electric cars are now accepted as future volume models for most automakers, but Jaguar Land Rover has taken a very different approach to showcase its future electric models. In fact, it’s not a concept for a car of the future at all, but a half-century-old Jaguar E-Type fitted with the most modern of electric running gear. Revealed at the Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest in London to coincide with Jaguar’s plans to have every new car electrified from 2020, the E-Type Zero is based on an original Series 1.5 Roadster. From the outside, it looks like an original specification 1968 E-Type. JLR Classic has added more efficient LED lights and tweaked some details, but these changes are still in keeping with the original E-Type’s styling.
The E-Type Zero doesn’t lose its driving characteristics with the switch from gasoline to electric power. Instead of the classic XK inline-6 engine, an electric motor and a 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack are located there—which doesn’t alter the car’s weight distribution. In fact, the E-Type Zero weighs 100 pounds less than a traditional E-Type and boasts a range of 170 miles per charge. The E-Type Zero’s aerodynamics and low weight help the battery pack make the most of its charge. The rebuilt E-type looks the same as the original, but it actually beats its performance with a 0-60mph time of under 5.5 seconds, which is around 1 second better than the gas-powered classic Series 1 version.
The all-electric E-Type is a clever solution to what may become a real issue in the future: limits on vehicles with tailpipes, especially those used in city centers. We are excited to see legendary automakers like Jaguar moving in the right direction with appealing, technology-forward solutions to what is rapidly becoming a redundant choice between environmental consciousness and style. The days of the Prius are long behind us, and we couldn’t be happier.
By Kate Dannies
