Q&A: why is Jaguar entering all-electric race series Formula E?

So. Jaguar's off to race electric cars?

Yes, Jaguar has decided that the time is right to return to motorsport, having left Formula One under previous owners Ford at the end of 2004.

The team will line up on the Formula E grid at the start of next season (the current season is only two races old) when the third edition of the championship gets underway in the autumn of 2016.

Why now?

Two reasons. The first is that Jarno Trulli’s Formula E team have had to withdraw from the series following “technical and supply issues” which forced them to miss the opening races in China and Malaysia this year. Their departure left an opening on the grid, and having kept a close eye on the championship since its inception, Jaguar jumped at the chance to fill the void.

The second reason is relevance. Group Engineering Director Nick Rogers says the company firmly believes “electrification is the future”, and that “now is the natural time to join an electric series”.

Does this mean they’re going to start making electric Jags?

It does. Jag was very excited to announce that it would be building “a portfolio of electric [road] vehicles” at some point in the future, although specific details have been withheld for the time being.

However, they haven't said which side of the company will debut the new technology on the road. While Jaguar are the brand entering Formula E, there’s no reason the know-how gained from of the project won’t end up in a Land Rover down the line.

What we do know is that we’re talking full electric plug-ins, not halfway hybrids: Land Rover already has a hybrid Range Rover on its books, after all.

Why do they need Formula E for that?

Company sources refer to the Formula E project as a 'learning exercise', giving Jag the opportunity to explore batteries and electric drivetrains, two aspects vital to making commercial vehicles viable for everyday buyers.

They’re not alone either: Audi, Renault and Peugeot have been there from the beginning.

Formula One and Le Mans have electric elements now. Couldn’t they race there instead?

The thought of Jaguar heading back to La Sarthe, given their history in endurance racing, is an appealing one, although it'd be a mighty challenge to get close to Audi and Porsche from a standing start.

Same issue with F1: the costs are enormous and – as Honda have found out this year – hybrid engines take a heck of a long time to develop.

In Formula E, on the other hand, the benefits far outweigh the risks. The sport operates a cost cap (thought to be in the region of a few million pounds), and the close nature of the racing means that no one is having their reputation smashed to bits week in, week out.

Are Jag in it for the long haul, then?

Looks like it. The electric car market seems set only to grow, so it’s unlikely that Jaguar will simply lose interest even if they don’t succeed immediately.

The team has also agreed a partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering - the two combined previously on the C-X75 project, remember – but the expectation is that Jag's first season will be a catch-up year considering that the current crop have enjoyed a significant head-start since the championship began in 2014. Beyond that, no one knows.

And they’re not worried by the deficit?

Seemingly not. Which is perhaps surprising given Jag's most recent stint in motorsport was its disappointing period in Formula One between 2000 and 2004.

The pressure to deliver will be high, although Team Director James Barclay believes the team has the experience and the expertise to make the venture work where the previous one failed.

“For us that’s very much in the past and very much a previous generation,” adds Barclay. “We’re really excited about building the next level of success.”

Nick Rogers agrees, saying: “We see this as an absolute technology adventure which is core to Jaguar Land Rover.”

In other words, winning isn’t the priority. Yet.

Right. Well good for them.

Indeed. Testing officially starts in the spring, with the team name and driver line-up set to be announced some time in the new year. Whatever the details turn out to be, one thing’s for sure: Jag's back.