Jaguar Type 01 EV Unveiled: £130,000 Luxury Electric Car Draws Controversy

Jaguar has unveiled the Type 01, its first fully electric luxury car, marking the culmination of a dramatic two-year transformation. Starting at £130,000 in the UK — or $130,500 in the United States — the vehicle is positioned firmly in the ultra-premium segment.

Mixed reactions to the design

Car journalist Steve Fowler praised the Type 01 as looking "incredible" and said it made him "proud to be British". Luxury car consultant Craig Kinnersley described it as an "unmitigated catastrophe" that lacks any memorable Jaguar character. Others on social media compared it unfavourably to a Tesla Cybertruck.

Two years after the controversial 2024 rebrand

Jaguar's rebrand in late 2024 caused a cultural storm when the company released an advert featuring models in colourful avant-garde outfits with no cars visible. JLR has since halted production of its older Jaguar models and has not yet sold a single new vehicle. Automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt noted that the brand's core demographic had largely abandoned it before the controversy. JLR has pledged to invest £15 billion in new models and technology as part of its transformation strategy launched in 2023.