The Jaguar E-Type is Back! "Zero" in Production from Summer 2020

Davide Nativo · Aug 28, 2018

The most beautiful car ever made, according to Enzo Ferrari himself, is born anew.

Jaguar Classic, based at Warwickshire, England, has just confirmed that the iconic model from Coventry will be again produced and available for purchase from Summer 2020 in its modern form, the "E-Type Zero". The name pretty much gives it away: the E-Type will now be an Electric Vehicle.

Its new 295 bhp / 220 kW engine will be powered by a 40 kWh battery pack, which roughly equates to 270 km (170 miles approx) of range. The battery, once depleted, can be fully charged in 6 to 7 hours, depending on the power source used.

Both the engine and the battery pack will take their places respectively where the gearbox and the engine were in the original vehicle, meaning that the car will retain exactly the same weight distribution. This is good news for all the existing owners of a "Straight-Six" E-Type willing to convert it to electric drive too, not having in fact to make any changes to the chassis, suspensions or brakes of their car ("Double-Six" E-Types are not yet included in this restomod project at the moment). It also means that the overall handling characteristics of the vehicle will stay basically unchanged, with the Zero featuring just better acceleration though, thanks to the immediate maximum torque delivery response typical of electric engines.

The Zero will be capable of 0 to 62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 5.5''.

Sharing many parts with the I-Pace, the new E-Type features also a sleek Infotainment touchscreen, a carbon fibre dash panel and efficient LEDs headlights, along with more customisations available to choose for the customer.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed, as for eventual limits to the volumes of production.

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Do you believe this might open the doors for more vintage and classic vehicles being converted or even produced again in the future as EVs? What's your take on such a project? Can iconic cars have a new place in the future once fitted with modern technologies, or should they always stay true to their original characteristics?
Let us know in the comments below!

el_mattpro · Aug 28, 2018

Electric

Paul Jeffrey · Aug 28, 2018

Richard Dastardly · Aug 28, 2018

The thought of anyone converting an existing E-type just makes me cry. I wonder if you can convert this new one the other way without major hassle. The thought of one with an AJ-V8 kinda makes me drool a little...

Nothing against electric cars other than they're utterly useless where I live, but please not this one

Ghoults · Aug 28, 2018

No mention of weight except the weight distribution is the same = it is going to be a lot heavier. Electric is great in a car if you want to accelerate fast. But for everything else a petrol engine will kill them easily.

Davide Nativo · Aug 28, 2018

Ghoults said:
it is going to be a lot heavier.

It is 46 kg lighter than the classic E-Type

DaVeX↯ · Aug 28, 2018

What a fail...

Tbear · Aug 28, 2018

If you ever heard one ... it dosen't matter which 3.8l, 4.2l ... you know why this is such a bitter disappointment.

This sucks right out loud.

Fernando Zart · Aug 28, 2018

That classic interior with digital panels... ugly as hell.

JPL083 · Aug 28, 2018

Most beautiful car ever made, and then rape it by taking it's soul off.. And that digital crap, ugh... Way to go!

Neilski · Aug 28, 2018

Funnily enough I was just listening to one yesterday. Nice!
And yeah... maybe if somebody had just destroyed their engine they might want to consider installing an electric, but the idea of removing a working E-type petrol engine to go electric...!?

BrettSinclair1 · Aug 28, 2018

Why can't they leave a classic alone?
Jaguar is my favourite carmaker, but under the Tata regime, they work very hard at losing anything that made them special.

p.s.:
What do I have to pay extra to get it with a proper engine?

ClimaxF1 · Aug 28, 2018

Might as well add the halo now and then you'll have a proper piece of rubbish.

Jag has started making some seriously beautiful cars again in the last ten years, who came up with this idea should be fired.

formidable · Aug 28, 2018

How-to f*ck a car.

homecalendar · Aug 28, 2018

It's very sad and cynically. It's just sacrilege.

Andrew King · Aug 28, 2018

they brought it back just to kill it again smh

Richard Dastardly · Aug 28, 2018

Neilski said:
Funnily enough I was just listening to one yesterday. Nice!
And yeah... maybe if somebody had just destroyed their engine they might want to consider installing an electric, but the idea of removing a working E-type petrol engine to go electric...!?

Plenty of Jag straight sixes about, I'd imagine - all those XJ6s etc. That engine is really heavy though, can well imagine the electric system being lighter. Supercharged AJ-V8 would also be lighter ofc.

Must check the classic car spares market sometime - I remember you used to be able to buy enough parts to build complete MGBs and most of a Midget, maybe there's something similar for classic Jags so no worries about engines.

I hadn't even really looked at that interior - you could certainly knock up some screen graphics that'd compliment the rest of it, using modern visuals is just lazy. I've also got to ask, *why are they doing it*? why not just make a new electric roadster? are they pillaging existing cars?