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Written by Joe Holding
So. Jaguar"s off to race electric cars?Yes, Jaguar has decided that the time is right to return to motorsport, having left Formula One under previous owners Ford at the end of 2004.The team will line up on the Formula E grid at the start of next season (the current season is only two races old) when the third edition of the championship gets underway in the autumn of 2016.Why now?Two reasons. The first is that Jarno Trulli"s Formula E team have had to withdraw from the series following "technical and supply issues" which forced them to miss the opening races in China and Malaysia this year. Their departure left an opening on the grid, and having kept a close eye on the championship since its inception, Jaguar jumped at the chance to fill the void.The second reason is relevance. Group Engineering Director Nick Rogers says the company firmly believes "electrification is the future", and that "now is the natural time to join an electric series".Does this mean they"re going to start making electric Jags?It does. Jag was very excited to announce that it would be building "a portfolio of electric [road] vehicles" at some point in the future, although specific details have been withheld for the time being.However, they haven"t said which side of the company will debut the new technology on the road. While Jaguar are the brand entering Formula E, there"s no reason the know-how gained from of the project won"t end up in a Land Rover down the line.What we do know is that we"re talking full electric plug-ins, not halfway hybrids: Land Rover already has a hybrid Range Rover on its books, after all.Why do they need Formula E for that?Company sources refer to the Formula E project as a learning exercise", giving Jag the opportunity to explore batteries and electric drivetrains, two aspects vital to making commercial vehicles viable for everyday buyers.They"re not alone either: Audi, Renault and Peugeot have been there from the beginning.
Date: 15 Dec 2015
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 706
So. Jaguar"s off to race electric cars?Yes, Jaguar has decided that the time is right to return to motorsport, having left Formula One under previous owners Ford at the end of 2004.The team will line up on the Formula E grid at the start of next season (the current season is only two races old) when the third edition of the championship gets underway in the autumn of 2016.Why now?Two reasons. The first is that Jarno Trulli"s Formula E team have had to withdraw from the series following "technical and supply issues" which forced them to miss the opening races in China and Malaysia this year. Their departure left an opening on the grid, and having kept a close eye on the championship since its inception, Jaguar jumped at the chance to fill the void.The second reason is relevance. Group Engineering Director Nick Rogers says the company firmly believes "electrification is the future", and that "now is the natural time to join an electric series".Does this mean they"re going to start making electric Jags?It does. Jag was very excited to announce that it would be building "a portfolio of electric [road] vehicles" at some point in the future, although specific details have been withheld for the time being.However, they haven"t said which side of the company will debut the new technology on the road. While Jaguar are the brand entering Formula E, there"s no reason the know-how gained from of the project won"t end up in a Land Rover down the line.What we do know is that we"re talking full electric plug-ins, not halfway hybrids: Land Rover already has a hybrid Range Rover on its books, after all.Why do they need Formula E for that?Company sources refer to the Formula E project as a learning exercise", giving Jag the opportunity to explore batteries and electric drivetrains, two aspects vital to making commercial vehicles viable for everyday buyers.They"re not alone either: Audi, Renault and Peugeot have been there from the beginning.
Date: 15 Dec 2015
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 706
