Jaguar shows off Type 00 testing, just days after rubbishing reports it’s walking back its EV-only commitment
Coincidence? We think not. Only days after dismissing reports it was wavering on its all-electric future, Jaguar has released fresh details and images of extreme winter testing for its forthcoming flagship EV, the radical Type 00 four-door grand tourer.
According to Jaguar, the winter program forms part of what it describes as the most comprehensive validation exercise in the company’s history, involving 150 prototypes and hundreds of thousands of kilometres of testing across extreme climates and virtual environments.
Engineers are using frozen lakes and snow-covered roads to refine drive modes, chassis systems and thermal management ahead of the car’s reveal later this year.
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“Jaguar has always been about driving pleasure and our new electric four-door GT will be no different,” said Matt Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director, Jaguar.
“It marks a step-change in our technical ambitions. Innovative in-house electric propulsion technologies combine with the car’s unique proportions and low centre of gravity for a luxurious grand tourer that drives like nothing else.
“Like a true Jaguar, it can be comfortable when you wish, is engaging to drive and, with more than 1,000PS, always has power in reserve.”
Jaguar says the tri-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain, featuring Intelligent Torque Vectoring, is being tuned for traction and stability on low-grip ice surfaces.
Engineers are also calibrating the interaction between all-wheel steering, dynamic air suspension, active twin-valve dampers and a bespoke 23-inch winter tyre package.
The sub-zero conditions are also being used to validate Jaguar’s new “ThermAssist” thermal management system, which the company claims can reduce heating energy consumption by up to 40 per cent by reclaiming waste heat to warm the battery system and cabin, helping preserve range in cold climates.
“Our aim from the outset has been to deliver a true Jaguar driving experience and we have crafted a hugely desirable car that will be as captivating to drive as it is to look at,” said Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar.
The production car, while in disguise here, will follow the design direction previewed by the Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed at Miami Art Week.
It signalled a dramatic reset for the brand’s design language and positioning at the top end of the luxury EV market.
Jaguar says the four-door GT will make its world premiere later this year, forming the centrepiece of its plan to relaunch as an electric-only rival to the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce in 2026.
The latest technical update arrives shortly after Jaguar publicly dismissed reports in some media that it was softening its EV-only focus in favour of hybrids or other powertrains.
Jaguar branded such reports “rubbish,” saying that its plan to relaunch itself as a fully electric luxury brand remains intact. Combustion-powered Jaguars have already been discontinued, and the first new-generation EV from the marque is scheduled to arrive in the second half of 2026.
The company says the Type 00-derived EV will be central to that strategy, forming the foundation for future models on its new electric architecture.
