Jaguar wants to update the definition of the word ‘Car’

The Oxford Dictionary describes the word Car as: ‘a road vehicle powered by a motor (usually an internal combustion engine) designed to carry a driver and a small number of passengers and usually having two front and two rear wheels, esp. For private, commercial, or leisure use.

This August, Jaguar sent a formal application to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and OxfordDictionaries.com, requesting to have the definition of the word ‘car’ updated. The company wants to update this definition by adding an inclusion for Electric Vehicles (EVs).

This goes in tandem with Jaguar’s I-PACE an all-electric performance SUV, the 2019 World Car of the Year and European Car of the Year. By definition, this vehicle does not fit the definition of a ‘car’ as it does not have an internal combustion engine.

A lot of time and thought is put into the name of any new vehicle or technology to ensure it is consumer-friendly, so it's surprising to see that the definition of the car is a little outdated. We are therefore inviting Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionaries to update its online classification to reflect the shift from traditional internal combustion engines towards more sustainable powertrains

David Browne
Head of Jaguar Land Rover’s naming committee.

The reasoning for the submission for the updated meaning of the word car is because the OED is a widely regarded authority on the English language. The institution also has a vast guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words from across the English-speaking world.

The I-PACE is Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle that can deliver sustainable sports car performance and next-generation artificial intelligence technology, as well as the ability to seat five people comfortably. The I-PACE has a state-of-the-art 90kWh lithium-ion battery. It also has two jaguar designed motors and an aluminum structure. The Jaguar EV can hit 0-96 km/h in 4.5 seconds and has a range of up to 470 km.

The formal request is still under review by the OED and Oxford Dictionaries but in the meantime, Jaguar is encouraging people to get behind the campaign by asking how the word ‘car’ should be defined through their Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the #RedefineTheCar.