Jaguar’s controversial Type 01 EV looks like a comic book villain would drive it

Jaguar has unveiled the final version of its new Type 01 EV, the first car as part of its controversial rebrand, and it’s a 1,016 horsepower, four-door, 1930s-comic-book-mobster-style doozy.

Jaguar made waves in late 2024 when it revealed a new concept car (the Type 00) and a controversial rebranding, changing its wordmark and design language to be radically different from anything we’ve seen from the legendary marque before – or indeed, perhaps any automotive company.

Jaguar summarized the rebrand as “copy nothing,” and they weren’t wrong.

The redesign got a lot of <a href="https://comicvibe.com/amc-entertainment-holdings-amc-shares-just-moved-so-what-is-driving-attention-now/” title=”AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) Shares Just Moved, So What Is Driving Attention Now?”>attention, with much of it being negative, given what a departure it was for the brand. (Personally, I loved it, and perhaps loved it even more for each pearl that was clutched in response).

A year later, the man responsible for the rebranding was fired from the company, leading some to think that the rebranding effort would be reversed and that something more traditional might come out of Jaguar.

And now, nearly another year later, we’re getting the first look at the first actual car to come out of the rebrand… and it looks very much like the Type 00 concept that attracted so much controversy, plus a couple doors and minus a little pink.

Jaguar has dubbed the car the Type 01 EV, which will be available in the 2028 model year. It’s the first production car to come out of the rebrand.

The styling is just as bold and unconventional as the concept, though Jaguar seems to have learned something from that experience and went with a little less unconventional coloring than the candy-cane pink that the Type 00 was originally clad in (again, I loved it, and your tears are delicious).

The hood is obnoxiously long – which is completely unnecessary, given the car’s electric provenance, and seems to exist primarily for styling reasons. Overall, the car is 204 inches (5.2 meters) long, half a foot longer than the Tesla Model S.

There’s a motor up there under the front hood (and two in the back), but there’s no way it takes up that much space, and Jaguars engineering graphics don’t suggest otherwise.

Jaguar says that the space between the front wheel and passenger compartment is meant to evoke the classic E-type, also known for its enormously long hood. To me, the straight lines, chopped top, and long, blocky hood all evoke the kind of vehicle I’d expect a comic book mobster to drive.

Those three motors combined put out 1,016 horsepower. They’ll get the 6,000lb beast from 0- to 60 in 3.1 seconds, and are attached to an 850-volt, 120kWh battery with 400 miles of EPA range. It can charge from 10-80% in 22 minutes on a 350kW DC charger, or add 200 miles of range in 13 minutes.

So we guess it would make a pretty good getaway car, too. Except, well, there’s no rear window to aim your tommy gun out of – instead, that’s solid, and you’ll have to see out the rear through a camera, like on the Polestar 4 coupe.

Inside, Jaguar has gone minimal, with few physical buttons anywhere to be seen and a central 7-inch interface that is styled similar to a smartphone. The center also has an armrest that runs down the length of the vehicle, with storage inside it, but which feels like it might lead the inside to feel a little cramped (and it does not obscure either a driveshaft or a battery, so it’s kind of just… there).

The car has its complement of luxurious features, like massage seats, cabin air purification and selectable fragrances.

Those luxury features are matched with a luxury price: starting at 130,000 British pounds ($172k). Which, while it’s over twice as expensive as Jaguar’s outgoing I-Pace EV, is maybe even somewhat cheap compared to the expectations for this vehicle, which ran upwards of $200k at one point.

As for the controversy, Jaguar seems to relish it. When Jaguar sent out surveys about its redesign, it got more 1s and 2s out of 10 than usual, but also more 9s and 10s. Jaguar’s managing director said “great design should have the confidence to polarize… we’re not interested in 6s, 7s, and 8s.”

The car will be available to order in the start of 2027, but won’t deliver until later that year. So, if you’re looking to get in line, stay tuned.

What do you think of the Jaguar’s new design direction, now that we’ve seen it in production form? Let us know in the comments.

Charge your electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you onEnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get startedhere.– ad*

Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News.

You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.