What's all this then?

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced at the Tech Fest technology fair in London, that from 2020 onwards, all of its cars will be either hybrid or fully electric. Dr Ralf Speth, JLR Chief Executive Officer, said: "Every new JLR model line will be electrified from 2020, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles. Our first fully electric performance SUV, the Jaguar I-Pace, goes on sale next year."

So, pretty much the same as Volvo's recent promise?

Yes, basically the same commitment. JLR has given a glimpse of its future vehicles though, presenting the Jaguar Future-Type concept car, which is a notional 2040 model year Jag. It's semi-autonomous, and is designed to work with the artificially-intelligent Sayer steering wheel shown a few days earlier. The idea is that Sayer is the part of the car you own and take home. You use it to summon a shared or hired self-driving Future-Type, and Sayer brings with you all of your preferences, music, digital data, etc. Jag is very keen on it being seen as semi-autonomous though, with the car driving itself for boring stuck-in-traffic stuff, and you taking over when the road gets more interesting.

"Today, Jaguar offers customers a dynamic, emotional experience," said Jag's chief of design, Ian Callum. "Whether it's the exhilarating way they drive, the way they sound, the iconic design or the connection drivers feel with the road, customers tell us that their Jaguar makes them feel special. With the Future-Type we've been investigating how we can keep this emotional connection in a future world where people may choose not to own a car, or when a Jaguar is an autonomous, on-demand vehicle."

You mentioned past as well?

Oh yes, here's the cool bit. Jaguar has also shown off an all-electric E-Type. The firm's Classic division has taken a gorgeous 1968 E-Type convertible, binned the 4.2-litre petrol engine, and installed a bespoke 220kW electric powertrain, to create the E-Type Zero. It's a one-off for now, but Jaguar claims that it will sprint from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds, and has a one-charge range of around 170-miles. Better yet, it might just go on sale. Tim Hannig, Director, JLR Classic, said:"E-Type Zero combines the renowned E-Type dynamic experience with enhanced performance through electrification. This unique combination creates a breathtaking driving sensation. Our aim with E-Type Zero is to future-proof classic car ownership. We're looking forward to the reaction of our clients as we investigate bringing this concept to market."