The long road to the Type 01: Jaguar's EV timeline

Jaguar's reinvention as an electric-only luxury car maker has taken more than a decade – but how did it get here? Read on for your snappy guide to the rebirth of the famed brand, highlighting the long and eventful journey that led it to today's reveal of the Type 01. September 2009: Jaguar reveals Limo-Green, an XJ powered by a 1.2-litre range-extender powertrain. It's claimed to be capable of 87mpg and 75g/km of CO2 emissions. June 2015: We report Jaguar Land Rover bosses have given the green light to a stand-alone electric Jag, which could replace the XJ. November 2016: I-Pace Concept is unveiled as a radical cab-forward electric SUV, earmarked for launch in 2018. March 2018: Production I-Pace EV is revealed with 395bhp and a 310-mile range and it's promised to drive as a Jag should. June 2018: Autocar drives the I-Pace for the first time. Matt Prior lauds it as "the best long-range battery-electric vehicle on sale". September 2018: We report that Jaguar is considering going EV-only within a decade, led by an electric replacement for the XJ. October 2018: JLR CEO Ralf Speth confirms that a new XJ is in development, following what is understood to have been an internal battle over Jaguar's future. July 2019: Production of the 'X351' combustion-engined XJ finishes. January 2020: A prototype of the XJ EV is spotted for the first time, albeit heavily disguised. Meanwhile, Speth announces he will retire. March 2020: We report that the electric XJ will enter production in 2021, joined by a 'J-Pace' electric SUV flagship. July 2020: Former Renault senior executive Thierry Bolloré is appointed as JLR's new CEO. XJ is reported to be delayed as the company cuts costs. November 2020: We report that Bolloré has begun a significant review of JLR's model range, with three forthcoming Jaguar EVs "under closest scrutiny". February 2021: Bolloré presents his 'Reimagine' strategy. In a shock move, the XJ EV is canned, as well as the related J-Pace and Land Rover's 'Road Rover'. Jaguar will go EV-only from 2025. March 2021: JLR searches for a partner platform to underpin Jaguar's reinvention. Its choice will be determined by design, however: any architecture will have to "respect the proportions" of its concepts. JLR is prepared to go it alone if nothing suitable is available. April 2021: Autocar outlines Jaguar's future in a comprehensive interview with JLR creative chief Gerry McGovern. He describes his vision as "compelling", "jaw-dropping" and "even shocking, but in a good way". July 2021: Bolloré explains Jaguar's 'reimagining' in an interview with Autocar. "It was damaged," he says. "The cars were great - they'd never been so good. But their positioning was not appropriate." February 2022: Jaguar decides to develop its own platform for its next-generation EVs. "We're making unique proportions a priority," says Bolloré. They will be "the copy of nothing in style or design". November 2022: Bolloré steps down as JLR CEO, citing "personal reasons". Chief financial officer Adrian Mardell steps into the breach. April 2023: Jaguar confirms its first new-age car will be a four-door GT. It will be revealed in 2024, have a range of up to 430 miles and a price in excess of £100,000. August 2023: Autocar scoops the new Jaguar line-up - and the brand's new look. The famous 'Leaper' emblem will be replaced by a wordmark and the styling will be radically minimalist. Our artists' impressions of their exteriors and interiors, informed by insider information, stoke surprise and disbelief in equal measure. July 2024: Production of the combustion XE and XF at Castle Bromwich ends. August 2024: Jaguar confirms it will show a concept car in December, creating much anticipation for the first glimpse of its future. November 2024: Jaguar reveals new logos as part of a 'Copy Nothing' campaign that starts its relaunch. Its copy nothing advertisement sparks controversy and hits the headlines globally even coming under fire from Elon Musk and Donald Trump. A week later, Jaguar releases a teaser of the concept, highlighting its dramatic proportions. December 2024: Type 00 is revealed as a first look at Jaguar's new era. The blocky electric GT shocks the world and brings Jaguar back into the public consciousness after years mired in irrelevance. It also proves the accuracy of Autocar's earlier rendering. Production of I-Pace and combustion E-Pace ends. March 2025: Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover rebuffs accusations that Jaguar has dispensed with its past, stating the Type 00 showcases "the essence of the brand". He adds that its advertising campaign was a success in getting Jaguar back into the conversation but that the ensuing pile-on was "a bit frustrating". July 2025: Type 00 makes its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. August 2025: Mardell announces he will step down from his position as JLR CEO after 35 years at the company. He will be replaced by PB Balaji, chief financial officer of parent company Tata Motors. December 2025: Autocar breaks the news that Gerry McGovern has made a shock departure from JLR. We get a preview of Jaguar's future with a passenger ride in the production GT. Steve Cropley hails its "awesome acceleration", grip and ride. The combustion F-Pace is retired, meaning Jaguar no longer builds any new cars. February 2026: We get behind the wheel of a camouflaged Type 00 prototype as Jaguar concludes winter testing. Prior concludes that it "feels like a Jaguar". March 2026: We take to the Tarmac in the GT, comparing it against a curated group of Jaguar icons. Matt Saunders concurs with Prior's verdict: "You'd say it was a Jaguar like absolutely no other. But a Jaguar all right." May 2026: Jaguar confirms the production version of the Type 00 will be called Type 01. August 2026: Jaguar unveils the Type 01's interior, remaining faithful to the concept. October 2026: Jaguar's first new-era model is finally shown to the public.