Could Jaguar Go All-Electric? New Reports Hint At Entry-Level EV To Rival Tesla Model 3

The brand is already building out its EV portfolio with the new XJ, with more models likely to follow

Jaguar Land Rover is taking on a new CEO in September — Theirry Bollore. As he steps into the role, one of the first jobs on his to-do list will be righting the Jaguar brand, which has recently been struggling, especially in light of ongoing global events. According to a recent AutoExpress report, Bollore’s grand plan could be to transition Jaguar toward an all-electric portfolio.

As of Q2 2020, Jaguar sales dropped by a precipitous 52 percent, while Q1 sales declined 43 percent. While those figures paint a bleak picture for the iconic British marque, the electric I-Pace (along with the conventional F-Pace) have increasingly shouldered most of the global sales volume. In the same time period, the I-Pace accounted for up to 13.2 percent of the brand sales, as pointed out by InsideEVs. Jaguar already committed to launching the electric XJ as its new flagship sedan next year as well.

Smaller, more efficient models are on the table

Based on what we already know, it’s already likely that Jaguar will at least blend more EVs into its lineup throughout the decade. Looking forward, though, several bosses within the brand point to smaller, more efficient EVs as a key to its future success. AutoExpress quotes engineering director Nick Rogers, who says: “A small electric Jag would be great — we need to think about that.” Design boss Julian Thomson made similar comments, saying, “I would love to do cars which are smaller, more efficient and have all the inherent values of a Jaguar.”

On that basis, the slow-selling XE sedan is a prime contender for an electric makeover. With the explosive success of Tesla’s Model 3 and several challengers coming along in the next several years, Bollore reportedly aims to bring a new entry-level Jaguar EV into the fray. That means a new model that’s smaller than an I-Pace and on par with the likes of the Model 3 and Polestar 2. More than likely, it will use the same Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) as the upcoming XJ.

It’s unclear whether Jaguar would strictly replace the XE. That’s certainly possible with the XJ flat-out moving toward all-electric status. However, the brand could also use a new nomenclature for its EVs, building on the portfolio established with the I-Pace. At any rate, Jaguar’s social media channels have been emphasizing its mission to reduce carbon emissions, and shifting toward an EV lineup — with Tesla blazing the trail and Cadillac and Polestar following suit — could be the most reasonable solution to broaden its appeal.