Jaguar XJ PHEV Unveiled | Jaguar

Jaguar XJ_e

Jaguar XJ PHEV Unveiled

The Jaguar XJ_e, a plug-in hybrid prototype that debuted at the "Goodwood Festival of Speed" in July, has revealed its full form at the "2012 CENEX Low Carbon Vehicle Event," held from September 12th.

Text by TAKEDA Hiromi

A Joint Project Involving Lotus and Infiniti

The "Jaguar XJ_e" is a concept car aimed at supporting the development of specialized technologies required for producing ultra-low CO2 emission vehicles within the UK's supply chain. It was developed in collaboration with leading-edge British companies, with support from the UK government-sponsored Technology Strategy Board's "REEvolution Project." The same project has also seen the development of the Lotus "Evora 414E Hybrid" and the Infiniti "EMERG-E" models.

The Jaguar XJ_e combines the lightweight aluminum monocoque of the XJ series, a leader in the luxury segment, with a parallel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system. It is equipped with a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder direct-injection turbo engine and a torque converter 8-speed automatic transmission optimized for hybrid use, shared with the Range Rover "Evoque."

It can be driven by the gasoline engine, the electric motor, or a combination of both. This is constantly optimized by the energy management system, which automatically selects the most efficient mode.

The combined system output is 334 ps, with 0-100 km/h acceleration in under 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (electronically limited). Despite these performance figures, it achieves CO2 emissions below 75g/km, representing a reduction of over 70% without sacrificing performance.

Furthermore, its fuel economy of 3.2 liters/100km fundamentally challenges conventional luxury car standards. The driving range on a full tank reaches approximately 1,092 km, and zero-emission driving using only the electric motor is possible for distances up to 40 km.