Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will display the ultra-low carbon XJ_e plug-in hybrid engineering research vehicle at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The XJ_e demonstrates how an advanced parallel plug-in hybrid design can deliver reductions in CO₂ emissions of over 70 per cent, without compromising vehicle performance.

Capable of 0—100km/h (62mph) in under 6.5 seconds and with a limited top speed of 250km/h (150mph), the XJ_e achieves CO₂ emissions of less than 75g/km and a zero-emission range of 40km (25 miles) on electric power.

The innovative XJ_e project was created by JLR as part of its strategy to develop best-in-class low-carbon premium products, and follows other successful hybrid research demonstrators including the Limo Green and Range_e vehicles.

Part funded by the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board through the REEVolution project, this advanced research vehicle has been engineered in partnership with leading UK technology companies to help develop expertise for ultra-low carbon vehicles within the supply chain.

Bob Joyce, Director of Engineering, JLR, commented: “The XJ_e investigates how a 5.0-litre V8 engine could be replaced by an advanced 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain to deliver similar performance and refinement, but with CO₂ emissions of less than 75g/km. While the XJ_e is an experimental project, it highlights that JLR customers can expect some exciting low-carbon products in the future.”

The XJ_e combines the class-leading lightweight aluminium vehicle structure from the Jaguar XJ with an advanced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) system, featuring the efficient 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine which powers the Range Rover Evoque and a hybridised 8-speed automatic transmission.

The hybrid system uses a 69kW motor/generator and a 12.8kWh Lithium Ion battery pack, which can be fully charged by an external 240V domestic supply in around four hours. The battery pack can deliver an electric-only range of 40km (25 miles).

The parallel hybrid design means that the XJ_e can run on petrol power, electric power, or a combination of the two, optimised by the car’s intelligent energy management system which selects the most efficient mode.

With a maximum system output of 334PS, the XJ_e is still capable of exceptional performance, while the improved fuel economy of 3.2l/100km (87mpg) translates into a maximum range of 1092 km (679 miles) on a full tank of fuel.

“JLR is the UK’s largest investor in automotive green technology, and the XJ_e is a great example of how we are developing exciting, future technology, working in collaboration with leading UK suppliers and technology companies,” added Bob Joyce.

XJ_e will be displayed in the FoS-TECH Technology Pavilion at Goodwood.