Jaguar Land Rover Classic is bringing a very interesting science project to the Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest in London, which starts on Friday. It’s an all-electric, factory restomod of a 1968 Series 1.5 Jaguar E-Type roadster, the brand’s most iconic model to date.
Called the XKE in the U.S., the Jaguar E-Type was famously called “the most beautiful car in the world” by none other than competitor Enzo Ferrari. Now Jaguar is touting this electric version which it calls the E-Type Zero (for zero emissions) “the most beautiful electric car in the world.” That’s a lofty claim, but Jaguar just might be right.
The original 4.2-liter inline-six has been replaced with a 220-kilowatt electric powertrain developed specifically for this roadster. This technically makes this electric version the quickest E-Type Jaguar has ever built, shooting from 0-62 mph in just 5.5 seconds. That’s about one second quicker than the original E-Type, and only about a half-second slower than a new F-Type. It has a 40-kWh battery that gives it a range of about 170 miles on a full charge, which takes 6 to 7 hours.
Thanks to clever engineering and placement of the electric drivetrain, the weight distribution is unchanged from the original E-Type promising the same enjoyable, dynamic driving experience. The total weight of the E-Type Zero is about 100 lbs lighter than the original.
In lieu of a four-speed manual transmission, the E-Type Zero has a rotary shift dial as part of its modernized center stack. Instrumentation is updated with a tasteful screen in the dash along with a large infotainment system that flows nicely with the retro/modern interior. On the outside, the E-Type Zero gets LED headlights to save battery power.
“We could use this technology to transform any classic XK-engine Jaguar,” said Jaguar Land Rover Classic director Tim Hanning. Consider this an exciting hint that we’ll be seeing more classic Jaguars get the electric treatment in the future like the XK120, Mk2, and XJ6.
It’s a cool project, but will we actually be able to buy new electric versions of this timeless sports car? “Our aim with E-type Zero is to future-proof classic car ownership,” said Hanning. “We’re looking forward to the reaction of our clients as we investigate bringing this concept to market.”
So, you may not be able to buy an E-Type Zero at a Jaguar dealership, but perhaps if you already have an E-Type and want to bring it into the 21st Century, you could take it to a dealer to have it transformed into an E-Type Zero. In any case, Jaguar has us more excited than ever about the future of electric sports cars.