Obviously, I love the E Type — you'd have to be rocker not to. But I'm not a purist, and since Jag is going all in on Formula E, I think it's kind of of cool the classics department built this car. I can't embed the video here, but there's a full breakdown on the blog. What do you guys think?

 

Hello Johnny. Greetings from afar and like you, I was delighted with what I saw in the blog . . . but as an interesting concept rather than a practical car. As you may know, having owned and maintained a Series1 4.2L for nearly 40 years, my appreciation for the model has waned over the years . . . in their day, breathtaking styling, performance and reliability at incredible value . . . a package that Maranello could not match at over twice the price.

IMHO, as years have passed, my rose tinted glasses have misted over somewhat. At the risk of offending many here (apologies in advance), and perhaps influenced by assessing the design in an Australian or hot SW of USA setting, almost every original system benefits from radical upgrading . . . brakes, cooling, lubrication and traction systems were all marginal at best, and FHC access is still a terrific challenge for tall drivers.

Projects like the EAGLE Speedster show what the E-Type could have been! IMHO again, the XK8/R design - itself beyond 20 years old - is a far superior and more enjoyable experience.

However, that could all change with the "eE-Type" you have highlighted. My sole reservation would be for Jaguar to tidy up the A-pillar and curved screen area to improve access and cut back weight wherever possible to maximize performance and range. That package could be a real winner . . . in Europe . . . or as an elsewhere commute!!! . . . but perhaps not as a GT for which the original was intended.

Typically, the range of current Teslar style eVehicles maxxes out at 300Km or less - even with the latest gen batt packs. Total recharge times vary from 12hrs to about 20 hrs - and to many in North American and Australian settings that is a definite "no-go". In my case, I would need 2 full recharges to complete my journey to our capital (Sydney) some 650Km away! At that rate, it would take me about 30-48 hours to do what any of my current Jaguars, with a full tank range of about 1000Km, do in 6 or 7 hours. How frustrating to have a Grand Tourer for tours that end at the local shop or office!!!

I am neither a solar nor electric skeptic - our home helping to power many of our neighbours - but when it comes to eVehicles, I fear we have quite a way to go before we enter the realm of what, for many, is their practical day to day reality.

Just my 2 cents . . . so don't shoot me.
And thanks again Johnny for sharing this,

Ken

 

Thank you Ken! Good points... and speaking of Maranello? I think one of the biggest compliments ever paid to the XKE was Enzo calling it the most beautiful car ever made. Imagine anyone at today's Ferrari complementing another make like that? It'd never happen!

 

With most electrics folks use them station to station and charge overnight. The iPace, which I have on order, has a 400 mile range. I would expect something similar for this E and given it will price in somewhere between $100K and $300K folks like will treat it as an exotic which means keeping the mileage down. If it mostly sits then electric is far superior to gas. You do have to watch the coolant but you can go waterless (the batteries in the iPace are water cooled but it looks like the E may be air cooled, hard to tell from the pictures). As I expect these E's to be mostly garage queens, electric might actually be a better way to go than gas. And, as the industry moves to electric, these cars may outlast their gas counterparts by decades.

 

Looks like they are going through with the kit, still no price yet though. https://www.greencarreports.com/news...nto-production

 

The value of an E-Type is in it's classic status and place in history.
I could go on and on about 60's sports cars handling etc etc, but that's basically it. :-)

In case it's unclear, I LOVE the E-Type - as a classic.

(Footnote: I wrote my E-Type off around a power pole. Won't do that again)

 

It will be interesting to see what the kit costs. Ideally it will be used on cars where there drivetrain is trashed as pulling out a working drivetrain coupled with the cost of the conversion would likely not be a good investment unless you can get close to half of what Jaguar charges for the complete car (around $450K at the moment). It is amazing how much some of these old cars from the factory are pulling, the run of racing E-Types went for over seven figures each I think. And that new Aston Martin DB-5 with the James Bond toys in it oh man, do I want one but at well into 7 figures it is too rich for my budget.

 

Hi Guys, I am new here (Happy new year btw) and this is maybe a late answer here but this tread can go on for some time. I must admit I love the concept. I have had my s2 for 20 years and I must admit it is not used often. It is a classic yes, but in real world it is impossible to start her a early saturday or sunday morning and go for a spin. Both my wife and neighbours will be pissed. And to drive to the office one of those nice mornings is just a short run on full choke and home in the congestion... Imagine to just glide out of the garage for a quiet morning run to the baker and a blast around before heading home, just perfect!

I sometimes use my s3 on longer trips as that one is more relaxed to drive and in many ways a better car then the s2, not to mention the roomier and more relaxed cabin.. So for me the possibility of converting to E-drive and retaining the originality of the car sounds perfect. But the prices I have heard of is just silly if the package is near to a brand new I-pace!

But I am eager and wait for a kit we can install back home!

 

I was all in as well as Im in your boat.
The turn off was one thing, theres one angle they shadow in the pictures.
The batteries are sooooo big, the box drops very low behind the fron wheels, it looks out of place.
Wait ten more years, the batteries will be 10 times smaller......If you have ten to live...Haaaaa
gtjoey1314
ps the conversion is arouns 330,000 dollars U.S.
And the range is only 110 miles as there is no regeneration at the wheels, it wont fit.

 

The price for the kit is too high and agree batteries remain a problem. Honda just had a breakthrough though which promises an improvement within your 10 year timeline. https://www.insidercarnews.com/honda...-battery-tech/

I've thought it might be interesting to have this guy do an XKE build: https://gas2.org/2018/05/31/this-800...r-and-quieter/

A bit short on range but could you imagine an XKE doing an under 3 second 0-60? Oh my....

 

I can't speak from owning an E-type, just admiring them, but it would seem to me that such a conversion would change the experience too much. Much of the thrill of owning classic cars is that engagement, of operating a machine. Go back far enough in time and driving a car was actual "work". Over time, cars have gotten so easy to drive that we really don't even think about what we are even doing while we're going down the road anymore. The pro-touring concept takes old cars, installs a modern fuel-injected engine, replaces old recirculating ball steering with modern electric power assist rack-and-pinion, adds four-wheel disk brakes, air conditioning, power windows, etc. Certainly it makes cars imminently easier to drive, which appeals to aging baby boomers after knee and hip replacement surgeries, but the grandkids now will never know what it was like to drive it when grandpa bought it new in the 60s. It may look the same, but much of the experience would be lost.

Someday, it may be a regulatory or economic practicality to change some classic cars over from gasoline to electric propulsion, but where does it end? Do you really want a 3 second 0-60 electric motor with original brakes, on original wheels with narrow bias-ply tires? No, those'll have to be upgraded too. And since those parts aren't original anymore, we might as well upgrade everything else while we're at it. While I'm a card-carrying NCRS member, I'm not totally opposed to modifications. I have a Toyota Supra that's not very original anymore so I understand there's room in the hobby for everyone, just that I hate to mess with pristine examples. If you're starting with a basketcase that the original engine and lots of parts are already gone, maybe already once converted to a chevy smallblock back in the 70s, then it'd be OK to mess with it. Or maybe electrify some of the reproduction kit cars instead of the real deals. But somehow I kinda hope that Jaguar doesn't get very many takers on this offer.

Let the neighbors be annoyed with the rich startup fumes and exhaust noise. Invite them out to enjoy it with you, they should feel privileged. After all, its not like you start it up at 6am every morning. (I'd be happy to have any of you as a neighbor, better than the people with thumper stereo that visit next door nearly every weekend.)

 

Hi Phil,
I fully understand your perspectives. For me the main thing is that I believe that I would use the car much more with this kit installed. Just glide around and no warming up and fumes all over the place. But I must admit I also enjoy a trip around the countryside in the fhc with its "crude" mechanical experience. With the prices they are talking about it will never happen though. I rather buy an I-pace which I think is an amazing kit for that kind of money.

 

I love my I-Pace, my plan for my '70 E-Type is to eventually take it electric for much the same reason. The E only goes to shows, I have other cars I prefer to drive/track/etc. One of the reasons I was looking at the shop that did the Mustang is they will do that conversion, granted on a Mustang, for around $100K which I could likely swing though it would lack the updated dash (I've already updated my dash though and kind of like the older look better).

 

Sadly, the factory electric E-Type conversion is dead for now.
https://carbuzz.com/news/jaguar-pull...lectric-e-type

 

Heresy? Absolutely yes !
For so many reasons. I don't think I need to go into detail.
Total heresy.
Bill.