Jaguar might be a brand of tradition and old world elegance, but that isn’t stopping the company from thrusting forward with cutting-edge drivetrain technoloy. The automaker is said to be planning a plug-in electric version of its forthcoming next-generation XJ luxury sedan. Designed to do battle with the Fisker Karma and Tesla Model S, the XJ plug-in will arrive in 2011 as a 2012 model — roughly one year after the launch of the regular XJ.

The intention is to offer a 30-mile pure-electric range, supported by a small gasoline-powered generator for longer trips, explains Autocar. This makes the electric XJ much more like the Fisker Karma or Chevrolet Volt than the strictly electric Tesla Model S or MINI Cooper E. Nonetheless, it singals even mainstream luxury carmakers are serious about the electrification of the automotible.

Fuel efficiency is estimated in the 50 mpg range, though it doesn’t sound like plans are set in stone at this time. Compared to the 100 mpg Fisker Karma, the XJ would travel 20 less miles in pure electric mode, resulting in a significantly lower fuel economy rating. However, it would likely cost less than the $88,000 Karma, so there’s an obvious tradeoff taking place.

It is estimated that the average U.S. driver travels less than 25 miles per day, so the XJ’s seemingly small 30-mile electric range should be sufficient for most people, meaning most owners will rarely have to top off their tank.

Although BMW seems to be persuing pure electric drivetrains, much like Tesla, there are similarities between Jaguar’s approach and BMW. Jag has opted to electrify its most expensive model first. Although BMW has previewed its new drivetrain technoloy with the MINI E prototype, the company is actually planning to put an electric drivetrain in the 7-Series or 5-Series first. This also jibes with Tesla’s strategy of offering high-end electric cars first, in order to drive costs down.

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