Car already on show but details not due until tomorrow
By Will Dron on June 28, 2012 5:18 PM
Nestled inconspicuously behind the Jaguar C-X75 gas turbine supercar concept in the FoS-Tech area of the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed is a Jaguar XJ. But no ordinary XJ... according to the stickers on the side, this one plugs in.
Jaguar was unable to comment when TheChargingPoint.com contacted them this afternoon for details, pending an official statement about the car tomorrow, but the words “Hybrid Electric Plug In” on the side of the show car are a rather clear indication that Jaguar is continuing its development of an electrified version of its flagship saloon.
Reports as early 2009 suggested the carmaker was working on a plug-in XJ using an extended range set-up similar to the Chevrolet Volt, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the drivetrain details on this latest effort.
What we do know for sure, thanks to the display car’s helpful decals, is that it will be known as the xj_e, at least in concept form, and will boast fuel efficiency of 87mpg and CO2 output of 75g/km. It’s also clear that the xj_e has been created in conjunction with the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board initiative for low-carbon vehicle research.
That’s all we know for now – expect more info tomorrow.
Update (29 June)
Jaguar released details about the car today, as promised. It is, indeed, called the XJ_e and is a research demonstrator utilising a parallel plug-in hybrid powertrain that allows the car to run on petrol power, pure-electric power or a combination of the two.
"The XJ_e investigates how a 5.0-litre V8 engine could be replaced by an advanced 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain to deliver similar performance and refinement, but with CO2 emissions of less than 75g/km," said Bob Joyce, Engineering Director, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). "While the XJ_e is an experimental project, it highlights that JLR customers can expect some exciting low-carbon products in the future."
The XJ_e follows on from the Limo Green XJ referred to above and the Range_e plug-in Range Rover that TheChargingPoint.com drove earlier this year. A 69kW "motor/generator" is fed power from a 12.8kWh lithium ion battery pack from Axeon, while the 2.0-litre petrol engine is taken straight out of the Range Rover Evoque.
Pure-electric range is a claimed 25 miles, while headline performance figures are 0-62mph in under 6.5 seconds and a limited top speed of 150mph. Total output is 329hp and maximum range is 679 miles on a tank of fuel.
Jaguar says the car has been engineered in partnership with leading UK technology companies to help develop expertise for ultra-low carbon vehicles within the supply chain, so despite its clear appeal, don't expect to be able to pick one up from a dealership anytime soon.