TEST Audi e-tron vs Jaguar I-Pace

AT the time, the I-Pace was still our Car of the Year – and it’d faced little opposition since taking the crown nearly 12 months prior to this test against the e-tron. Few new EVs had been launched, let alone with the Jaguar’s premium aspirations, power, performance and price.

All that changed when the Audi EV arrived, although the I-Pace showed just how far ahead of the curve Jag was with its first electric car. Stronger efficiency than the e-tron proved more practical from a driving and range point of view, even if the Brit EV wasn’t as roomy inside. It also rode slightly better than the Audi and blitzed its rival for both performance and handling. The brand showed it understands EVs, too, with the electric carspecific elements a little better calibrated than Audi’s.

The Jag’s cabin might not have been as techy or well built, but it wasn’t far behind. Thanks to its bespoke EV platform, the I-Pace showed established rivals have a little way to go when it comes to making class-leading EVs, and that models adapted from existing architectures still have a few issues. However, both cars proved so convincing with their genuinely usable battery range that they could act as your only car in the majority of situations.

This pairing also highlights that the infrastructure lags behind the tech. Many companies are doing great work to kickstart the electric revolution, with BP Chargemaster at the fore, yet other charge providers such as Ecotricity proved unreliable. There were no complaints about either the Audi or the Jaguar’s ability, though. Both did well in this fiercely contested twin test, but the I-Pace came across as the better EV, and that’s why it took top honours.