Celebrating the brand’s 75th anniversary, Jaguar has unveiled the C-X75 range-extended electric two-seater supercar at the eve of the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
With plug-in capability the C-X75 can achieve a zero tailpipe emissions range of 110km (68 miles) plus a potential top speed of 330kph (205mph) and blistering acceleration. The car demonstrates that it is possible to retain Jaguar’s core values of performance, design and luxury using technology that will make environmentally responsible performance and electric vehicles a practical proposition.
Jaguar says that the C-X75 will hit (100km/h) 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and will go from 80 to 145km/h (50 to 90 mph) in just 2.3 seconds, while emitting just 28 grams of CO2 per kilometer on the EU test cycle.
The C-X75’s 580kW (778bhp) propulsion system combines powerful 145kW (195bhp) electric motors at each wheel for outstanding performance. At the center of the car sit state-of-the-art, mid-mounted micro gas-turbines. These can either generate 140kW (188bhp) to charge the batteries and extend the range of the car to a remarkable 900km (560 miles) – enough to drive from London to Berlin on a single tank – or when in Track mode provide supplementary power directly to the electric motors. The four electric motors provide torque-vectored, all-wheel drive traction and grip, essential in a car that produces 580kW (778bhp) and 1600Nm (1180lb ft) of torque.
Each of the micro gas-turbines weighs just 35kg and produces 70kW of power at a constant 80,000rpm. Turbines offer a number of advantages over a reciprocating piston engine when powering range-extending generators. With fewer moving parts and air bearings, turbines do not need oil lubrication or water-cooling systems, all of which offers considerable weight-saving benefits. They can also be run on a range of fuels including diesel.
The car’s interior is equally impressive, with the driver and passenger seated ahead of a sealed airbox that houses the micro gas-turbines. The seats are fixed to the bulkhead as in a single-seater racing car, and air to feed the turbines passes smoothly around them via channels in the structure of the body. With the seats anchored in place, the steering wheel, controls, main binnacle and pedal box all adjust towards the driver.
Dramatic theater lighting is activated as the driver approaches the car; phosphor blue electro-luminescent wire lights illuminate the perimeter of the cabin and the turbines. When the car is started, additional blue LED lighting gently floods the door and bulkhead speaker cavities, highlighting the car’s lightweight construction. Bespoke interior materials include cream and grey leathers, polished and vapor-blasted aluminum and a soft-feel textured neoprene.
A new interface for the driver has also been created for the C-X75 using high-resolution TFT screens. Building on Jaguar’s 10-year expertise in touchscreen technology, the Jaguar Co-Pilot display in the center console supports the driver in extracting the full potential of the C-X75 by seamlessly managing information.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
