The Electric E-Type is a Great Concept Jaguar Should Run With
The E-Type Zero isn’t just a car, it’s a roadmap for how Jaguar can blaze a trail for next-gen enthusiasts.
When the E-Type Zero made its debut at the Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest back in 2017, I thought it was sensational. Sure, there were purists who cried heresy at the idea of plucking the sonorous, 4.2-liter inline-six from under the bonnet and replacing it with a whisper-quiet electric motor. That was to be expected. But being a purist is a full license to get pissed about literally any change, no matter how infinitesimally small. And as a proud proponent of lumps, I’ve never counted myself among that crowd.
At the end of the day, the machine Enzo Ferrari called “the most beautiful car in the world,” still has room for improvement under the skin.
With a preserved weight bias, a brisk 5.5-second zero-to-60 time, and a 170-mile range, the zero-emission version of the company’s iconic sports coupe is achingly close to perfect. While the E-Type Zero was was treated as a concept, in-house restoration specialists Jaguar Classics were set to produce them for — it should be noted here — extremely well-heeled customers who could drop $500k to go a British Racing hue of green. Fortunately, electric-drivetrain kits were also on the menu, so restoration shops and DIY-inclined folks could make the swap themselves.
The E-Type Zero is unquestionably cool. Unfortunately, it’s also unquestionably dead. Even before COVID-19 kneecapped the worldwide automotive industry, the high cost of batteries proved fatal. But batteries aren’t going to be expensive forever, just like gas won’t be cheap forever. So I think Jaguar should try to bring this zero-emission idea back to life, because if — and I’ll grant you this is a big if — the electric drivetrain was done right, it could be a masterstroke that would profoundly shape the future of the automotive hobby. Jaguar would be a proper pioneer.
Now obviously, nobody knows what the future will hold. It’s certain, however, that emissions regulations are going to get more strict. In Jaguar’s native England, the plan to ban new internal-combustion cars is currently taking shape, and it stands to reason that at eventually, classics will be on the chopping block too. For a lot of enthusiasts, this understandably sounds like the end of the world — but it doesn’t have to be. Because right now, all over the country, you can pick up some of the most gorgeous Jaguars ever made for a song. If you’re looking for an old XJ6 or XJS, a search of any Craigslist around a major metropolitan area will yield scores of candidates for an electric conversion.
I’ve long wondered why prices for these beautiful cars have never climbed, and think it would be amazing if there we saw a renaissance of English iron on the roads. Jaguar’s system could be like the popular Connect and Cruise package General Motors offers — but with a future-proof edge.
Seriously, how awesome would if be if we saw derelict XJs, XJSs, and Mark IIIs being resurrected as next-generation green machines? As a fan of classic cars, I’ll admit I’m biased. But I think tomorrow’s roads would be a lot cooler is they looked like the ones we saw in Gattaca, where classics like the Citroen DS Cabriolet and Studebaker Avanti cruised silently across the film’s hyper-modern landscapes.
I realize it’s a long shot, but we’re all allowed to dream. So what do you think? Would you like to see a future with loads of electric classics on the road? Head into the forum and let me know!