Jaguar Reportedly Planning Extended-Range Electric XJ Sedan for 2011
By John O'Dell April 13, 2009
We know that the norm in the car world is for expensive new technologies to come out first on high-dollar models and then work their way down the food chain until they get into our price range, but we wish someone would work on an extended range plug-in hybrid that we could seriously consider for the personal fleet.
One thing we now know is that it's not going to come from India's Tata Motors, at least not right away.
Instead, Tata, which owns Jaguar and Land Rover, reportedly is planning to launch an extended-range hybrid version of the luxo-boat Jaguar XJ (above) in 2011, about a year after the next generation of the car comes out.
If the report is accurate, the XJ E-REV would likely compete with the $80,000 Fisker Karma extended-range electric sport sedan.
Britain's AutoCar magazine reports that the four-door, long-wheelbase Jag will use an all-electric drive system, with power coming first from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack and then, when the charge is depleted, from power generated by a small internal combustion engine that will serve as a generator (can you say Chevy Volt?).
Jaguar is hoping for 30 miles of "pure" electric range before the gas engine/generator kicks in, and overall fuel economy of nearly 50 miles a gallon, with a top speed of 112 miles an hour (those are all U.S. figures, translated from the British).
Tata made the commitment after winning clearance last week for a "green" investment loan of $489 (366 million euros) from the European Investment Bank.
Jaguar-Land Rover also is planning a range of conventional hybrids, small diesel engines and other fuel-saving technologies including more extensive use of aluminum and other lightweight materials in the construction of its vehicles.
The way the market is treating our portfolio, we'll have to wait for an extended-range electric Nano.
LEAVE A COMMENT