Every Jaguar launched from 2020 onward will be electrified, but the first step toward electrification is the I-Pace. Unveiled back in 2016 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the electric crossover is edging closer to production, with the real deal confirmed to debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show at the beginning of March.
Featuring an electric-only platform that will be shared with Land Rover, the I-Pace is remarkably similar to the concept of the same name, sporting a curvaceous physique and roomy interior. Regarding the latter aspect, the Jag’s sloping roofline doesn’t appear to eat too much into rear headroom.
If there’s something worth criticizing about the I-Pace, that’s the wind noise and tire roar. The teaser clip at the end of the story shows the extent of the noise entering the cabin when driving on the highway, proving that the pre-production prototype always differs from the production-spec model.
From a technical standpoint, the I-Pace shouldn’t differ too much from the concept. Integrated into the body structure, the Jaguar I-Pace gets its mojo from a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery that drives two electric motors. Being located at the front and rear axles, the electric crossover promises AWD surefootedness and exhilarating performance.
With 400 metric horsepower and 700 Nm (516 pound-feet) at its disposal, the I-Pace can thrust to 100 km/h (62 mph) in approximately 4 seconds. As for driving range, you’re looking at 500+ kilometers (NEDC) and 220+ miles (on the EPA test cycle).
Retail sales of the I-Pace will kick off in the UK and rest of Europe immediately after the e-SUV debuts in Geneva. The U.S. launch, meanwhile, is scheduled for the second half of 2018. For the motorsport-minded enthusiast, Jaguar also announced that the I-Pace will be the centerpiece of the world’s first electric production car race series. Dubbed Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, the series will support the 2018-19 Formula E championship.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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