Jaguar Land Rover has taken a huge step towards an all-electric future with the unveiling of its ground-breaking Jaguar I-Pace. The I-PACE is Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle which appears to be a direct competitor to the Tesla Model X.
The car is said to be capable of rapid public charging from zero to 80 per cent in 85 minutes but this technology does not come cheaply as the car is retailing for £63,495 in the UK.
During the reveal Thursday, Jaguar even staged races between the two vehicles.
Like the Tesla Model X and Model S, the I-PACE is powered by two electric motors. Like a Tesla it has a trunk where the engine would otherwise be.
Notably, the car is available now.
“As of this moment, it is available to own,” said presenter Jack Whitehall, at the unveiling event held at the Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing facility in Graz, Austria.
The car has a single-speed automatic transmission, common in electric vehicles. Jaguar estimates the I-PACE has 240 miles of range on a single charge. The I-PACE doesn’t have the same 0 to 60 mph neck-snapping zoom as the Tesla Model S in ludicrous mode. But it has punch. The vehicle can travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds.
Jaguar designed the battery to last 10 years, said Ian Callum, director of design.
Among some of the technology on the car are an infotainment system, which has touchscreens and physical controls, and a sat-nav specially designed for ‘electric’ motoring as it assesses the topography of a route and insights from previous journeys to calculate personalised range and charging status.
Another new technological feature is Amazon Alexa Skill which will enable owners to ask an Alexa-enabled device for information held in the Jaguar InControl Remote app.
The car is also loaded with tech inside, like a navigation system that suggests nearby charging stations, and the ability to learn and adjust settings inside the vehicle to match a driver’s preferences. The I-PACE also has an Amazon skill that works with its affiliated mobile app. Jaguar will also be able to update software over the air, or wirelessly, a technique that helped set Tesla apart from major automakers.
The I-PACE first debuted as a concept vehicle in 2016. Thousands of customers have already expressed interest in the I-PACE, Jaguar said.
The I-PACE’s battery will be capable of reaching an 80 percent charge in just 40 minutes, Jaguar said, and the vehicle has been tested in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to 104 degrees.
The official public debut of I-PACE will be at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday. Jaguar Land Rover is a unit of India’s Tata Motors.
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