Jaguar XJ (electric)
{{short description|Scottish motor museum}}
{{Use list-defined references|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Jaguar XJ (electric)
| image =
| caption =
| manufacturer = Jaguar Land Rover
| production = Cancelled
| model_years =
| assembly = United Kingdom: Castle Bromwich
| designer =
| class = luxury battery-electric
| body_style =
| layout = Dual motor 4WD
| platform = Jaguar Land Rover MLA
| related =
| motor = 2 × Permanent Magnet Synchronous Electric Motors
| drivetrain =
| battery = 90.2? kW·h lithium ion
| range =
| electric_range =
| charging =
| transmission =
| wheelbase =
| length =
| width =
| height =
| weight =
| predecessor = Jaguar XJ (X351)
| sp = uk
}}
The electric Jaguar XJ was a battery-electric luxury saloon car due to be launched in 2021 by British car company Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) under their Jaguar Cars marque. It was to supersede the XJ (X351), the last example of which was built in July 2019. In February 2021, CEO Thierry Bolloré announced that this car was cancelled as part of Jaguar's Reimagine plan,{{cite press release|url=https://media.jaguar.com/news/2021/02/jaguar-land-rover-reimagines-future-modern-luxury-design|title=Jaguar Land Rover Reimagines the Future of Modern Luxury by Design|date=15 February 2021|accessdate=4 March 2021|location=Gaydon, UK}} although the XJ name may be revived at a later date.{{Cite web|url=https://www.autoweek.com/news/green-cars/a35519406/electric-jaguar-xj-canceled-at-the-last-minute/|title = Electric Jaguar XJ Canceled at the Last Minute|date = 16 February 2021 |author=Ramey, Jay |work=Autoweek}}
History
A prototype based on the current-production XJ (X351) was built in 2010; the X351-based vehicle was equipped with a {{cvt|145|kW}}, {{cvt|295|lbft|order=flip}} traction motor and included a three-cylinder, {{cvt|35|kW}} range extending gasoline engine. It was said to have a range of {{cvt|600|mi}} with a combined fuel economy of {{cvt|57|mpgimp}}.{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/all-electric-jaguar-xj-created |title=All-electric Jaguar XJ created |author=Holloway, Hilton |date=4 February 2010 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}}
=Project X391=
On 5 July 2019, the last day of production of their Jaguar XJ (X351) car at their Castle Bromwich Assembly site, JLR announced they intended to build its replacement, an all-electric luxury saloon car, at the same plant. JLR had confirmed its plans previously in May. A teaser image of the model was shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show.{{Cite web|last=Ewing|first=Steven|date=2019-09-11|title=Jaguar teases electric XJ during Land Rover Defender debut|url=https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/jaguar-xj-electric-frankfurt-motor-show/|access-date=2021-09-05|website=Roadshow|language=en}} The car was originally expected to be launched in 2020. According to The Verge, the new model was being "developed by the same team that created the I-Pace" and JLR were planning to make a new range of electrified vehicles at the plant. The project was codenamed X391,{{Cite web|last=Opelt|first=Andy|title=Andy Opelt|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-opelt-03003272|website=LinkedIn}} and was being developed alongside the Land Rover Road Rover (project code L392),{{cite web |url=https://galo-industries.com/mla-x391-l392-underbody/ |title=MLA (X391, L392) - Underbody |website=GALO Industries |access-date=2 May 2022}} which was detailed in October 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/range-rover-ev-be-most-road-biased-land-rover-yet |title=Range Rover EV to be most road-biased Land Rover yet |date=21 October 2019 |author=Attwood, James |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}}
JLR had planned to update the Castle Bromwich plant to produce the car on the company's new Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform. The plan to build the electric Jaguar XJ saloon, replacing the manufacturing of the conventional XJ at this plant, was viewed as essential for "safeguarding the jobs of 2,500 people", or 2,700 people according to BBC News. Manufacturing of the new model had been expected to start in autumn 2019, after a significant investment in upgrades to the facility. David Bailey, a professor of business economics at Birmingham Business School, said that, without the new electric model, the Castle Bromwich plant would "effectively be dead". The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom forced JLR to halt non-essential spending,{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/report-jaguar-delay-electric-xj-launch-until-late-2021 |title=Report: Jaguar to delay electric XJ launch until late 2021 |author=Attwood, James |date=13 July 2020 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} delaying the scheduled unveiling of X391 and L392 by two months to October and November 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/range-rover-ev-and-electric-jaguar-xj-delayed-pandemic |title=Range Rover EV and electric Jaguar XJ delayed by pandemic |author=Holloway, Hilton |date=17 September 2020 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}}
By January 2021, X391 had failed to launch and speculation on the fate of Castle Bromwich and the upcoming electric XJ began;{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/opinion/industry-news/whats-happened-new-jaguar-xj |title=What's happened to the new Jaguar XJ? |date=6 January 2021 |author=Tisshaw, Mark |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} X391 was cancelled formally in February;{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/electric-cars/electric-jaguar-xj-scrapped-part-brand-reinvention-plan |title=Electric Jaguar XJ scrapped as part of brand reinvention plan |author=Page, Felix |date=15 February 2021 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} Bolloré had made the decision to discontinue development within his first month with JLR: "XJ was a completely different kind of car from the ones we were proposing – different in technology, battery chemistry, electronics, size, performance and market position. It would never have suited our plans."{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/how-jlr-boss-thierry-bollore-will-reinvent-britains-biggest-car-firm |title=How JLR boss Thierry Bollore will reinvent Britain's biggest car firm |author=Cropley, Steve |date=11 July 2021 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} During an investor call, JLR CFO Adrian Mardell stated the cancellation of X391 and L392 would result in a write-off of {{GBP|1000000000}} in development costs. Mardell clarified Bolloré's stance: "The current MLA program ... would have been catch-up in [emissions] compliance and that just isn't good enough in this industry today" and added "[X391] wouldn't have that modern luxury, that future Jaguar vision, that drop-dead aspiration that we need to make this brand work ... So we had to make a tough decision."{{cite news |url=https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/jlr-axed-electric-land-rover-jaguar-mla-platform-focus-better-tech |title=JLR axed electric Land Rover, Jaguar on MLA platform to focus on better tech |author=Gibbs, Nick |date=March 2, 2021 |work=Automotive News Europe |access-date=2 May 2022 |url-access=subscription}} After the electric XJ was cancelled, JLR announced that it would "end mass production of cars at (Castle Bromwich) before 2025".{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/15/jaguar-land-rovers-low-carbon-plans-end-mass-production-at-castle-bromwich-plant|title=Jaguar Land Rover's low-carbon plans end mass production at Castle Bromwich plant|date=15 February 2021 |author=Jolly, Jasper |newspaper=The Guardian}}
In early 2022, JLR announced that under the Reimagine plan, the planned all-electric line-up by 2025 would be based on an internally-developed platform known as Panthera. Bolloré stated that Panthera would not be shared with Land Rover, as it was designed to allow Jaguar to provide "unique proportions" and capabilities, and would help the marque survive as it moved to a higher price point and lower volume.{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/jaguar-details-bespoke-panthera-platform-new-ev-family |title=Jaguar details bespoke Panthera platform for new EV family |author=Gibbs, Nick |date=1 February 2022 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} The upcoming Panthera-based flagship of the Jaguar line is anticipated to be called the XJ.{{cite web |url=https://www.motortrend.com/news/2026-jaguar-xj-electric-luxury-sedan-future-cars/ |title=Future Cars: 2026 Jaguar XJ Isn't What Was Originally Planned |author=MacKenzie, Angus |date=18 August 2021 |work=Motor Trend |access-date=2 May 2022}} Later in February, Jaguar stated it would develop Panthera jointly with Magna Steyr, which assembles the I-Pace under contract to JLR in Austria.{{cite news |url=https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/jaguar-magnas-joint-ev-platform-plans-revealed-job-ad |title=Jaguar, Magna's joint EV platform plans revealed by job ad |author=Gibbs, Nick |date=February 18, 2022 |work=Automotive News Europe |access-date=2 May 2022 |url-access=subscription}}
Design
In March 2020, a prototype X391 was photographed while undergoing testing on public roads. Although the car's features were obscured, Autocar commented that the prototype's "long bonnet and high waistline aren't unlike those of the outgoing XJ", and the X391 would have been wider and taller than the X351.{{cite news |url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/electric-jaguar-xj-2020 |title=2020 Jaguar XJ: latest images reveal electric luxury car's look |author=Burgess, Rachel |date=16 March 2020 |work=Autocar |access-date=2 May 2022}} MLA was designed to accommodate underfloor batteries up to 90.2 kW-hr in size, providing up to {{cvt|290|mi}} of range using one traction motor on each axle.
References
{{Reflist|refs=
|last1=Burgess
|first1=Rachel
|date=5 July 2019
|title=Electric Jaguar XJ confirmed, to be built at Castle Bromwich
|url=https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/electric-jaguar-xj-confirmed-be-built-castle-bromwich
|website=Autocar
|accessdate=6 July 2019
}}
|last1=Jack
|first1=Simon
|date=5 July 2019
|title=Jaguar Land Rover announces electric car investment
|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48875406
|work=BBC News
|accessdate=6 July 2019
}}
|last1=Jolly
|first1=Jasper
|date=5 July 2019
|title=Jaguar Land Rover to build electric XJ car at Castle Bromwich plant
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/05/jaguar-land-rover-to-build-electric-xj-car-at-castle-bromwich-plant
|work=The Guardian
|access-date=6 July 2019
}}
|last1=O'Kane
|first1=Sean
|date=5 July 2019
|title=Jaguar's next EV will be an electric XJ sedan
|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/5/20683016/jaguar-ev-electric-xj-sedan
|website=The Verge
|access-date=6 July 2019
}}
}}