A while before the launch of the Jaguar I PACE, I was in the company of one of their directors who passed a comment that inadvertently they had fallen behind their rivals in focusing on electric power trains.
Jaguar I-PACE
Fast forward two years and the arrival of the all, electric Jaguar ‘I PACE’. A new breed of Jaguar- lean, sleek, and oozing style, this electric SUV well and truly has no intention of being put in the shade by any of its competitors – they have produced what can only be described as a ‘game changer’.
The award, winning Jaguar I-PACE is a premium electric SUV that sits ahead of the Tesla, Audi and Mercedes while drawing on its ‘big cat’ inheritance and agility of its wild cat namesakes for its pedigree and style.
Welcome to a whole new world that blends style with hi tech, tradition with innovation, to give breathtaking performance. Add in futuristic features like the head-up display, adaptive surface response and acoustic laminated glass and you've got one heck of a special electric car.
Could this Jaguar be the most significant new car to leave the design house of a British manufacturer? It would take a brave person to dispute the point.
It is a truly remarkable feat that the Jaguar I-Pace – is not just a new Jaguar but a new breed of Jaguar. Remember it has only taken a mere four years from the designer's ‘light bulb’ moment to saleroom and despite the bigger R&D budgets of its rivals, Jaguar has become the first, established luxury car brand to bring its expertise to bear a zero-emissions product.
The I-Pace can be described as a paradox, a contadiction. On one hand it partially depends on a changing infrastructure that is still developing, one that Jaguar has very little influence over, (although they have made strides in resolving this) with owners needing to plan activities in a way that a petrol-powered car owner doesn’t. While at the opposite end of the spectrum, this long-range electric car is able to accelerate to 60mph in less than five seconds and has a spacious interior owing to its cleverly designed powertrain layout.
Its software updates can be done ‘over the air’ following the traditional off-roaders into their jungle retreats. It is smart enough to save battery charge by only activating air vents for the seats in which passengers are actually sitting, while setting the benchmark for crossover SUV’s because we found the four wheel drive off road handling to be stunning.
Outside
Looks wise, the I PACE’s cab-forward proportions are broad with a low, vented bonnet. The rear is tall and squared off for a commendably low drag coefficient of 0.29. as well as giving the car a balanced robust, distinctive visual character.
Underneath the aluminium bodywork houses the electric powertrain, connected to a slimline battery pack (423 lithium ion cells, liquid cooled) of 90kWh beneath the cabin floor positioned within the wheelbase for 50:50 weight distribution.
It drives an electric motor on each axle. Each drive through a single-speed epicyclic transmission and open differential (there is brake-based torque vectoring in lieu of a locking diff) for maximum compactness, while at low speeds, the I-Pace is powered by just one of its motors.
The I-Pace has 292 miles with the battery capable of charging to 80% in 40 minutes from a 100kW DC rapid charger. With an 11kW on-board charger as standard, customers with access to three-phase electricity supplies can enjoy significantly faster charging: when connected to an 11kW wall box 33 miles* of range (WLTP) per hour can be achieved, while a full charge from empty now takes only 8.6 hours – ideal for overnight charging at home.
Inside
This must be the best Jaguar cabin produced - gloss black and metal panelling it blends effortlessly with leather-upholstered surfaces and digital touchscreens for a sense of modern sophistication. The I PACE sets standards of quality that should impress everyone.
The Jaguar's comfort levels are excellent, with optional sports upgraded ‘performance seats’, that are firm, provide masses of lateral support, with 14-way electronic adjustability and memory settings that streamline the process of settling in behind the wheel. The seats up front are heated and cooled, while seat heaters in the rear are also included, extras that justify spending £3940 for the upgrade.
Back seat passengers are treated to executive saloon levels of leg room. Head room also isn’t in short supply even with the optional fixed panoramic roof optioned.
The boot is a roomy 656 litres, while tucked under the bonnet there’s an additional 27-litre storage bin.
The infotainment system has twin screens neatly integrated into the upper and lower dash fascia, the responsiveness of the software is fast.
A Smartphone Pack with Apple CarPlay® is standard, as is Bluetooth technology which can pair two phones simultaneously ensuring you’ll always be connected.
The I - PACE also comes with a dual modem embedded SIM (eSIM) and complimentary 4G data plan which enables unlimited music streaming via Spotify, Deezer or Tunin and map, weather, calendar and traffic updates simultaneously- no data usage worries here!
A DAB radio, satellite navigation and a rear-view parking camera are all included as standard, the system itself is faultless.
On the Road
The I-Pace’s 0-60mph time of 4.5sec shouts out that it is a seriously fast family car, but it’s the manner in which it picks up pace that makes it special, on test we found it able to jump from 30 to 70mph in a little under 3.5 seconds..
The engine's responsiveness takes a bit of getting used to, but once mastered, getting through traffic becomes much easier thanks to the instant response to your right foot from this electric Jaguar, getting you up to motorway speeds from a crawl in virtually no time at all.
On the motorway road roar from those 20in alloys, and the propensity of the car’s aluminium body structure to conduct it into the cabin, makes it slightly noisy.
The Ride
Jaguar’s electromechanical steering is sure, precise, responsive, quick enough to deliver an agility unknown in heavy cars, so in the I Pace, you flow through direction changes with an economic ease of movement.
By placing the battery pack in a low, wide section of chassis between the axles aids the dynamics, producing impressively little body roll and a neutral balance.
If you over estimate and the car runs out of grip, the I-Pace’s electronic stability program interjects immediately to correct the understeer ensuring no mishaps.
Opinion
With its first all-electric model, Jaguar has not only beaten its bigger budget rivals but has also set the bar high for those wanting to come after it.
The I-Pace is a dynamic masterstroke with enough dynamism for owners to take pleasure and satisfaction from the driving experience.
The car also has performance that sits on the edge, a design thats effective in being progressive yet unmistakably a Jaguar, which appeals to anyone who cares about driving and sustainability.
Improvements to the speed of charging and an improved number of rapid-charging points, means longer journeys are easier to plan, enabling more opportunities to use their cars for long-distance cruising.
The team at Female First could not come up with enough plaudits to describe the I-PACE and the crowning factor is its emmision free driving.
Jaguar has thrown down the gauntlet by producing the I PAC and deserves due recognition for having produced a true driver's car here – and a bold, appealing and hugely innovative one at that – Welcome to the New World of The All Electric Sports Car.
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