New Jaguar Type 01 unveiled – and the electric car will be built in Solihull

There is a particularly exciting reason for Solihull residents to be paying attention to Jaguar’s newest car.

The new Jaguar Type 01 has officially been unveiled, marking the beginning of a completely new chapter for the famous British marque – and, importantly for the region, it will be built right here in Solihull.

The striking four-door electric GT was revealed in New York on Wednesday, October 7, after months of anticipation surrounding Jaguar’s return with its first new production model in years.

And while the car is being launched as a global luxury model, its connection to the West Midlands is impossible to miss.

A new Jaguar for a new era

The Type 01 is the first production Jaguar built on the company’s new dedicated Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA).

It is also the first production car to emerge from Jaguar’s dramatic reinvention as an exclusively electric brand.

The name itself has meaning. ‘Type’ references Jaguar’s historic cars, while the ‘0’ represents zero tailpipe emissions and the ‘1’ marks the beginning of a new generation.

Jaguar describes it as its most technically advanced, powerful and aerodynamic car yet.

And the figures certainly make an impression.

The Type 01 will have a 118kWh usable battery and 850-volt electrical architecture, with Jaguar estimating up to 400 miles of EPA range.

It will also be capable of adding around 200 miles of range in as little as 13 minutes when using a 350kW rapid charger.

For performance fans, there is even more to get excited about.

The car can produce up to 1,030PS and 1,365Nm of torque, with 0-62mph taking just 3.2 seconds.

The Jaguar that will be made in Solihull

Perhaps the biggest local talking point is what happens after the global unveiling.

Production of the Type 01 is due to begin at JLR’s Solihull operations in 2027.

That means the futuristic Jaguar seen being unveiled in New York will ultimately be produced in the West Midlands.

It is part of a much wider British manufacturing story.

The electric drive units and battery packs will be produced in Wolverhampton, while pressed body panels will be manufactured at Halewood in Merseyside before the cars are assembled in Solihull.

JLR says almost 9,000 employees at its Solihull site have been retrained to build electric vehicles, with a further 1,500 people trained across its wider West Midlands operations.

So for people living in Solihull, the Type 01 isn’t simply another new car being launched somewhere else in the world.

It is a car being designed, engineered and manufactured as part of a supply chain stretching across the region.

What will the Type 01 be like?

Visually, Jaguar has gone in a very different direction.

The Type 01 is a low-slung four-door GT with a long bonnet, short front overhang, extended rear section and huge 23-inch wheels.

Jaguar says it has been designed with a focus on dramatic proportions and aerodynamic efficiency, with active aerodynamic features including deployable elements and a claimed drag coefficient of 0.23.

Inside, it is intended to be every bit as luxurious as the exterior suggests, with technology and craftsmanship forming a major part of the cabin experience.

Jaguar has also submitted more than 360 patent applications relating to the Type 01, highlighting just how much engineering has gone into the new model.

When can you buy one?

The Type 01 won’t be arriving at Solihull dealerships tomorrow.

Jaguar says orders will open in early 2027, with production beginning at Solihull during 2027. The starting price is expected to be £130,000 in the UK.

For most Solihull residents, it will therefore be considerably more realistic to see one being produced locally than to put one on the driveway.

But that may be part of what makes the car so significant.

For a town with such a strong connection to Jaguar Land Rover, the arrival of the Type 01 represents another chapter in Solihull’s long association with British car manufacturing.

The Type 01 may have been unveiled thousands of miles away in New York, but its journey into production will begin much closer to home.

And from 2027, some of the world’s most futuristic Jaguars will have ‘Made in Solihull’ at the heart of their story.