Jaguar unveils the “Type 00” concept car, initially under a controversial new brand identity – NBC Los Angeles

• Famed British automaker Jaguar announced its new direction in vehicle design on Monday evening with the launch of an all-electric concept car called “Type 00.”
• The vehicle is characterized by a minimalist, yet somewhat gaudy design.
• The new car is boxy with sleek lights and large wheels, a clear visual departure from the brand’s current sporty cars and SUVs.
• Jaguar is expected to produce several new electric vehicles in the coming years, including a four-door GT car due to be unveiled next year that is similar to the concept car.

Famed British automaker Jaguar announced its new direction in vehicle design on Monday evening with the launch of an all-electric concept car called “Type 00.”

The vehicle, pronounced “Type Zero Zero”, is characterized by a minimalist but somewhat gaudy design. It’s boxy with slim lights and large wheels, a clear visual change from the brand’s current sporty cars and SUVs.

Automakers regularly use concept vehicles to gauge customer interest in a design or to show the future direction of a vehicle or brand. The vehicles are not intended for sale to consumers.

Jaguar is expected to produce several new electric vehicles in the coming years, including a four-door GT car due to be unveiled next year that is similar to the concept car.

Jaguar predicts its new production electric vehicle will have a range of up to 430 miles on a single charge, with a range of up to 200 miles in 15 minutes on fast charging.

The new concept vehicle comes weeks after Jaguar released an artistically lavish video intended to debut the company’s rebranding to “Copy Nothing.”

The video featured androgynous models of different ethnicities and sizes posing in colorful clothing in a colorful landscape. The 30-second clip was accompanied by new logos and fonts for the embattled car company, which is part of the Tata Motors group Jaguar Land Rover.

The rebrand and video went viral online and sparked widespread criticism on social media last month. Criticism ranged from commenters criticizing the company’s choice of font and the decision to remove the Jaguar animal logo – which has been featured on the car since the 1950s – to saying the company had “woke up” and said it would give up its inheritance.

Critics also noted that the ad does not feature a car in the video. The company defended its efforts despite the backlash, saying that “the brand relaunch for Jaguar is a bold and imaginative reinvention and has, as expected, attracted attention and debate.”

The advertising campaign comes after Jaguar suspended all new car sales in the UK in early November as it prepares to relaunch as an all-electric company in 2026. This is part of a broader industry shift that poses numerous challenges for car manufacturers.

In recent years, several automakers have announced plans to sell exclusively electric vehicles, but many have backed off as adoption of the vehicles has been slower than expected.

“We need to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point, so we need to act differently. We wanted to break away from traditional automotive stereotypes,” said Jaguar CEO Rawdon Glover in an interview with the Financial Times last month.

Glover also condemned “the level of vile hatred and intolerance” expressed by some people commenting on the marketing video and denied that it was “woke.”

— CNBC’s Jennie Reid contributed to this report.