Jaguar unveiled its first new electric model, the Type 01, in New York on Tuesday, marking the launch of the brand's £130,000 ($172,426) bet on becoming a luxury all-electric marque. The car seats four and produces about 1,000 horsepower, accelerating from 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds with a claimed highway range of 320 miles. Jaguar describes it as "the most technically advanced, powerful and aerodynamic Jaguar ever engineered."
The unveiling drew celebrity attendees and immediate polarized reactions. Car journalist Steve Fowler said the Type 01 "looks incredible" and makes him "proud to be British." Craig Kinnersley, who runs a luxury car consultancy, called it an "unmitigated catastrophe" that looks like a hearse. One Facebook user compared its design to "a Cybertruck and a Bentley Continental had an illegitimate child." Alistair Weaver from Edmunds said the car deserved credit for its distinctive looks despite being "polarising."
The Type 01 launch arrives two years after Jaguar's controversial rebrand in 2024. A surreal advertisement featuring models in bright costumes and no cars, followed by concept cars in "Miami Pink" and "London Blue," triggered backlash online and in press, with critics accusing the company of going "woke." The controversy overshadowed the brand's strategic shift: JLR pledged in early 2023 to invest £15bn in new models and technologies, aiming to rebuild Jaguar's tarnished reputation.
Jaguar had lost market dominance since its 1960s heyday when it supplied E-Types to celebrities including Brigitte Bardot and Steve McQueen. The brand struggled to sell upmarket salons and SUVs in recent years, losing ground to Audi and BMW. Matthias Schmidt of Schmidt Automotive Research noted that "Jaguar's core demographic, despite the uproar, gave up on the brand years ago, so they effectively had nothing to lose."
JLR wound down old Jaguar production in 2024 and 2025. The company parted ways with its controversial rebrand agency and appointed new leadership, with design chief Gerry McGovern leaving the company.
The Type 01 faces stiff competition from Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and Chinese brands such as Denza. Alistair Weaver cautioned that Jaguar faces "an uphill battle in the US, where EVs are becoming less popular." Steve Fowler acknowledged the uncertainty. "The car is good enough to do it," he said. "Whether the Jaguar brand is good enough remains to be seen." The Type 01 is expected to be the first of three new electric designs.