We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
No matter how hard you reject it, at this point, there’s no stopping the electrification of the automotive industry. The EV revolution continues and Jaguar is the latest manufacturer to join the growing segment. Last night, Jaguar-Land Rover group officially announced it would be bringing a fully-electric, Tesla-fighting SUV called the I-Pace to market.
The comely I-Pace, unveiled in Los Angeles, is an all-electric Jaguar crossover that the automaker believes will be ready and able to replace a normal internal-combustion SUV as a primary transporter for many consumers. In the accompanying press release, Jaguar called the I-Pace both a family car and a “performance car.”
If you’re questioning the ‘performance’ part of that, as we are, Jaguar claims the five-seat SUV will have around 400 horsepower, be capable of doing zero to 60 in around four seconds and, thanks to instant electric power, it can also create about 516 pound-feet of torque. Those are impressive numbers, especially for something that will probably be about as heavy as an elephant. Jaguar explained that because of the I-Pace’s dual wishbone and integral link suspension setup, the car would also be able to handle itself competently during sporty driving.
Jaguar claims the I-Pace, which will be production-ready in 2018, will be capable of reaching around 310 miles on the NEDC electric car testing scale. The automaker also said the car’s 90kWh batteries can be charged to 80 percent in 90 minutes, and full charge can be achieved in over two hours when using a 50kW DC charger.
For those who like tech, there are two touchscreens on the center console of the I-Pace, and a set of “virtual” gauges, likely comparable to Audi’s “Virtual Cockpit,” for the driver. As for styling, at least in the concept phase, the I-Pace doesn’t look half bad. It’s less egg-shaped than a Tesla Model X, and it has borrowed some aggressive design cues from the F-Type and other Jaguar models currently available.
If the price is right, we have no doubt the production I-Pace could steal some of Tesla’s thunder in the EV segment, but pricing has yet to be released. For more on the electric SUV’s design, check out Jaguar’s video with design head Ian Callum and Interior Design Creative Director Alister Whelen.
