Image of the Jaguar Type 00 concept vehicle
Jaguar
Famed British car manufacturer Jaguar unveiled its new direction in vehicle design on Monday evening with the introduction of a fully electric concept car called 'Type 00'.
The vehicle, pronounced 'Type Zero Zero', has a minimalist yet somewhat ostentatious design. It's boxy with sleek lights and big wheels, a striking visual change from the brand's current sporty cars and SUVs.
Automakers routinely use concept vehicles to gauge customer interest in a design or to show the future direction of a vehicle or brand. The vehicles are not intended to be sold to consumers.
Jaguar is expected to produce several new electric vehicles in the coming years, including a four-door GT car expected to be unveiled next year that will resemble the concept car.
Image of the Jaguar Type 00 concept vehicle
Jaguar
Jaguar expects its new production EV to have a range of up to 700 km on a single battery charge, with a range of up to 320 km in 15 minutes with fast charging.
The new concept car comes weeks after Jaguar released an artistically flamboyant video intended to debut the company's “Copy Nothing” rebrand.
The video featured androgynous models of different ethnicities and sizes posing in vibrant clothing in a brightly colored landscape. The 30-second clip was accompanied by new logos and fonts for the embattled car company, part of Tata enginesowned by the Jaguar Land Rover group.
The rebrand and video went viral online and received widespread criticism on social media last month. Criticism ranged from commentators criticizing the company's font choice and decision to remove the Jaguar animal logo – which has been on the car since the 1950s – to calling the company “woke” and saying it is losing its heritage left behind.
Critics also noted that the ad did not feature a car in the video. The company defended its efforts despite the backlash, saying the “relaunch of the Jaguar brand is a bold and imaginative reinvention and has, as expected, attracted attention and discussion.”
The advertising campaign came after Jaguar halted all new car sales in Britain in early November as it prepared to relaunch as an electric-only company in 2026. This is part of a broader industry shift that poses numerous challenges to automakers.
Image of the Jaguar Type 00 concept vehicle
Jaguar
In recent years, several automakers have announced plans to sell exclusively electric cars, but many have pulled out as adoption of these cars has been slower than expected.
“We have to re-establish our brand, at a very different price point, so we have to act differently. We wanted to move away from traditional car stereotypes,” Jaguar chief executive Rawdon Glover told the Financial Times in an interview last month.
Glover also condemned “the level of vile hatred and bigotry” expressed by some people commenting on the marketing video and denied it was “woke.”
— CNBCs Jenni Reid contributed to this report.