Jaguar I-Pace Concept Is Hot & Smooth — All-Electric Production SUV Slated For 2018

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Despite all of the talk about how “the Germans are coming for Tesla” (mostly from Germans), it appears that it may well be the British that actually get there first. At least, in the high-priced luxury SUV sector anyways. (Yes, I’m aware that Jaguar is actually owned by the Indian firm Tata Motors now.)

jaguar-f-pace-0

I’m talking here about the fact that Jaguar has promised to turn its all-electric I-Pace concept SUV into a production model within just 2 years. To be clear, not a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) but an all-electric vehicle (EV) — one that looks like it will attract some staring.

You have to admit, that is one stylish-looking electric SUV. I could well see how such an offering could bleed sales of the Tesla Model X. Speaking personally, I greatly prefer the look of the Jaguar (the Jaguar SUV, not the jaguar big cat — though, the firm’s namesake animal does have a very stylish look to it) to Tesla’s offering. The Model X looks to me more like a “pregnant hippo,” as I heard someone say.

The company will reportedly be showing off the I-Pace concept at this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show (November 18th through 27th).

While the looks certainly seem to be superior to those of the Model X (to my eyes), the model won’t quite compete performance-wise with the Tesla offering — but it won’t be any kind of slouch either.

Rather than doing 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds, as top-of-the-line Tesla Model Xs do, the I-Pace will reportedly do 0 to 60 mph in around 4 seconds. Probably more importantly, the “5-seat I-Pace will look, feel, handle, and perform like a proper Jaguar,” according to the company.

Autoblog provides more: “With 516 pound-feet of torque being pumped out of its two electric motors, the I-Pace has as much gristle as the pure-bred F-Type SVR sports car, and it has it from zero rpm. It’s also promising the two motors will combine for 400 horsepower, too.”

Continuing: “It won’t need to compromise on range to get its performance, with Jaguar promising the I-Pace will stretch across to 220 miles of range from its 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. It will also take two hours to charge on a 50-kW fast-charging DC station, or achieve 80% charging in 90 minutes, and Jaguar insists commuters who drive about 30 miles a day would only need charging once a week.”

Not too bad sounding, though it’s too bad that Jaguar didn’t try to work out some sort of deal to share the Supercharger network. Or maybe it did?

The electric motors and batteries used in the I-Pace were designed in-house following the firm’s entry into the Formula E racing series earlier this year.

“Electric vehicles are inevitable — Jaguar will make them desirable. Zero emission cars are here to stay and the I-PACE Concept is at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle revolution,” commented Jaguar’s vehicle line director Ian Hoban. “As the charging infrastructure continues to develop globally — and with enough range to mean most people would only need to charge once a week — cars like the I-PACE Concept will make drivers appreciate that an EV can be rewarding and practical enough to drive every day.”

“This isn’t just a concept. It is a preview of a five-seat production car that will be on the road in 2018,” Callum continued. “This will be Jaguar’s first-ever battery-powered electric vehicle and opens a new chapter in the history of our brand.”

Other notable qualities of the electric SUV: it can be effectively used as a one-pedal vehicle (capable of aggressive regenerative braking); it’s got a drag coefficient of 0.29; there’s a 1 cubic-foot luggage compartment frunk in addition to the 18.71 cubic feet of luggage space at the rear; it features a full-color heads up display (HUD); and it features a lot of tablet displays, in addition to a 12-inch virtual cockpit display right in front of the driver.


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James Ayre

James Ayre's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy.

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