In pictures: Jaguar unveils a fully electric car priced at $130,000

At a dimly lit event inside a Manhattan warehouse this week, actress Florence Pugh, Knicks player Karl-Anthony Towns and a crowd of influencers gathered to admire the Jaguar Type 01, the British automaker's first new model in nearly a decade. A teaser video clip was shown showing the fully electric car - which has a price of $130,000 - racing at high speed through the streets of New York in a manner reminiscent of the atmosphere of the science fiction movie “Tron”.

Almost two years after Jaguar unveiled its controversial new logo, the ancient company continues to strengthen its trend towards rebuilding its identity in a futuristic manner, by launching a new model that reflects that appearance over which opinions were divided. However, marketing a luxury electric car represents a major challenge. Jaguar has always competed strongly with brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and had a notable presence in the James Bond films. However, the brand's luster has diminished over the decades, whether during the period of Ford's ownership of it, or later under the umbrella of the Indian company "Tata Motors", which acquired "Jaguar Land Rover" in 2008.

Recently, Jaguar has faced challenges represented by a succession of leaders and the obsolescence of its model lineup, which led to the cessation of production of most models two years ago, while the pace of newer competitors - such as "Tesla", "Lucid" and "Porsche" - has accelerated, overtaking it. But Jaguar returned with a car that differed in appearance from its predecessors, hoping to attract a younger segment of buyers.

The “Type 01” car, which was first revealed as a concept model in 2024, is “the most streamlined Jaguar ever” in the history of the ancient brand, which spans 104 years, according to a press release. The famous "Jaguar" logo, which depicts a leopard on the hood, has been eliminated, as well as the round and spaced headlights. This sedan features a unique boxy body, the ability to cover a distance of up to 450 miles on a single charge, and accelerate from rest to 62 miles per hour in just three seconds.

In this regard, Mobility Global's chief automotive sector analyst, Stephanie Brinley, said that the car appears "competitive and attractive" at first glance. "They sought to attract a completely new category of buyers; the car does not reflect the old, traditional concept of luxury at all," she told Ufoq News, adding that it was aimed at "someone who adopts a slightly different vision of how to express the concept of luxury."