Auto-Tech HQ

Jaguar Land Rover is getting ready to launch the world’s first electric-drive luxury saloon, after the European Investment Bank agreed to loan the company £340 million to spend on eco-friendly green technology.

The car, an electric version of the next-gen XJ, will be able to do 30 miles on a full charge. On longer trips the fuel engine kicks in, giving you an impressive 57 miles per galon while recharging the battery through a generator. Taking it for a spin on the highway won’t be a problem either, considering it’ll do a respectable 112 miles per hour.

Jaguar’s venture into green tech will be helped greatly by the fact that the current XJ is one of the lightest cars in its class, thanks to its all-aluminium chassis. The low weight means longer battery life and better handling. We hear that Jaguar plans to use lightweight materials such as aluminium across the entire range, enabling the company to get the most out of the advanced hybrid tech.

There are also plans for a new mini-Range Rover hybrid, based on the LRX concept, a Range Rover Sport with a super-capacitor for short-term electricity storage and a generator that reclaims energy during engine breaking.